A golden Soul
by OneShaman1
Summary: Seventeen months after Aizen's defeat Shizuka Urahara found herself in the war between the shinigami and the Quincy. Her deeply sealed powers seemed to woke Yhwach's interest and found herself in the grasp of the Quincies. The only person to save her was Ichigo - who still needs to discover his Zanpakuto's true name. IchigoxOC, Thousand Year Blood War Arc!
1. A warm welcome

**Summary:**

Seventeen months after Aizen's defeat Shizuka Urahara found herself in the war between the shinigami and the Quincy. Her deeply sealed powers seemed to woke Yhwach's interest and found herself in the grasp of the Quincies. The only person to save her was Ichigo - who still needs to discover his Zanpakuto's true name. IchigoxOC, Thousand Year Blood War Arc!

**Chapter I**

**-A warm welcome-**

The sun between the clouds was slowly about to set as it disappeared between the clouds and the buildings of Karakura Town. Shizuka Urahara raised her hand to protect her purple eyes from the bright sunshine.

Shizuka was about to return home, to the Urahara Shop. Shizuka had been raised by Kisuke Urahara, the owner of the shop and a shinigami who had been exiled from the Soul Society where the shinigami usually resides. Kisuke was like a father for Shizuka who for a long time didn't knew her real parents and she never really cared about this; she had been happy with Kisuke as her father. She did got to know about her real parents after the fight with Aizen when he did stumbled up to her while being sealed away and reached out his hand to her as Kisuke pulled her away. This made Aizen enraged as he shouted at Kisuke that he kidnapped his daughter and Kisuke only replied that Shizuka's mother asked him to take her with him so she would be out of his reach when he started to get evil.

The fact that Aizen was her father had shocked Shizuka but after all these months she got used to the thought.

She then met her mother, Yui, not long later and she told her the truth about her family and why Yui asked Kisuke to take Shizuka with him. Shizuka was also shocked to hear that her mother was the sister of the Spirit King which makes Shizuka his niece. Yui also insisted her to come with her to the Soul King Palace to train as Yui said that she will get special powers, just like any other member of the Royal family. Shizuka first was against this but in the end she got curious about these special powers and came along but found out these powers had been sealed by the Soul King while Shizuka still had been in her mother's womb because otherwise the powers would have killed Yui and made Shizuka terribly sick because of the strong reiatsu she would emit.

Shizuka sighed as she breathed in the air of Karakura Town which wasn't filled with so much reishi as the air in the Soul Society or the separate dimension in which the Royal Palace is located. She got happy to be here again, she missed the people she saw only as her family (Yui was for her more like an acquaintance) and her friends; especially her boyfriend whom she loves more than anything else.

Shizuka finally reached the Urahara Shop and found Ururu and Jinta outside.

"Oh, Shizuka-san." Ururu said as the young woman approached them and Shizuka smiled as she saw how these two had gotten bigger.

"I'm back. You two really have grown." Shizuka said with a smile and she patted Ururu's head. Although she had grew bigger she still was smaller than she, Ururu only reached her to the chest. "Where's Kisuke?"

"He's inside." Jinta replied and crossed the arms before his chest. Although he had a foul mouth he still had respect of Shizuka since she once had knocked him down because of he tried to hit Ururu during one of his rages. Shizuka thanked them and then walked into the building while she got excited to see Kisuke again.

She slid the door to the living room and found Kisuke there with a teacup in his hand while holding some papers in his hand.

"Excuse me." She said and smiled while she saw her adoptive father and also Kisuke looked surprised at her. "I'm back."

"Oh, Shizuka-chan!" He said with a smile as he stood up and then walked towards her. "It's so nice to see you again." Kisuke put his arms around his adoptive daughter and pulled her close to him and laughed while he started to swing her around as Shizuka also started to giggle. He had done this when she had been small, whenever she had been upset because of a nightmare and he tried to cheer her up. This time however he only greeted her home with this big hug.

"Nice to see you again, too." Shizuka replied as he then finally let go of her and put his hand on her shoulder while he hid his lower face behind his fan.

"I'm surprised you did actually return, I thought you will stay there." Kisuke said as he sat down back by the table and Shizuka sat down next to him.

"I would never be able to stay there, I missed you all too much and I couldn't get used to live there." Shizuka replied and remembered how she had longed to see her family and friends while she had trained.

"That's very nice to hear, I had missed you, too." Kisuke smiled as he reached out his hand and patted Shizuka's head. "Got used to the truth already?"

"Yeah but I still wonder why I couldn't remember both of them." Shizuka replied and furrowed her brows. The first memory she had was waking up in a futon when she was five years old and got scared because she couldn't remember anything and neither knew Kisuke or Tessai who had been there then. In the beginning she tried to remember but after some time she didn't cared about it anymore.

"I guess Yui-san did something so you won't miss your parents." Kisuke said as he continued to drink his tea.

"Yeah. I could have asked her but I still can't see her as my mother. Maybe it's because I have been living for so long with you all." Shizuka said and grinned while Kisuke chuckled as he raised his hand and patted her head lovingly.

Shizuka felt happy as she felt how Kisuke patted her head, just like he did when he had done when she had been a child, mostly when she done something which made him proud.

"Did you hear from the others?" Shizuka asked as her thoughts returned to her friends. That was when Tessai spotted her and welcomed her home before preparing her some tea.

"I did, actually. Karin-san is sometimes coming over and buying some of my special equipment against souls. Also Inoue-san, Sado-san and Ishida-san seemed to get stronger through the months." Kisuke said. "And Kurosaki-san also had gotten his powers back, like it seems."

"Huch?" Shizuka looked surprised up from her tea. "How does it come?"

Kisuke then told her how Ichigo's powers had been returned, he told her a former substitute shinigami Shizuka knows – Ginjo Kugo – helped him to get a new power called Fullbring and stole them then again from him. Rukia and some others appeared then and helped Ichigo to retrieve his shinigami powers through a special sword in which the reiatsu of the captains of the Gotei 13 had been poured. He also told her that Ginjo died during the battle with Ichigo and that the latter returned to his job as a substitute shinigami.

"It's nice he got his powers back. I guess he won't be depressed now, so he can help." Shizuka replied and smiled. Deep down she wasn't really happy for Ichigo, now he has gotten the power to protect people and Shizuka remembered how she got jealous countless times whenever Ichigo had been protecting other girls just like Rukia, Senna, Orihime, Rurichiyo and Nozomi.

Until now she had never been protected by him, whether it's because she was strong enough or her not being in danger. Feeling a little down Shizuka told Kisuke about the training there and also told her she could finally use her Bankai without complications. In the past she could only use her Bankai whenever her Zanpakuto Spirit was in the mood to let her use it. Now she could use it without her Zanpakuto's mood swings, now she had some sort of advantage. Whenever her Zanpakuto was in a bad mood the attacks get stronger and if it's in a good mood the attack are less strong.

"That's really good to hear." Kisuke said while Shizuka yawned, she hadn't slept for some time by now and was really exhausted. It was already dark outside and Shizuka decided to go to sleep.

"I'm going to sleep." She said as she stood up. "Good night."

"Yeah, good night." Kisuke replied and nodded while Shizuka walked off to her room. She shoved the shoji door aside and stepped into the room. It hadn't changed at all, everything was just like it had been before she left. Her room had only been cleaned from the dust as she couldn't see any dust. Shizuka walked towards her futon and fell down on the soft mattress head-on. She sighed as she sat up again and looked at the photos on the shelf above her futon, there were photos of her and Kisuke when she was around seven years old, of her and her boyfriend Ichigo when they were together for one month and also one of Shizuka and her friends during their first vacation on Okinawa together. She smiled as she remembered the vacation and her time with Ichigo there. He had been together with her on the festival and also got worried about her when she sprained her ankle and also told her about his mother. Shizuka knew Masaki already, they had met when she was fighting against White - the hollowfied shinigami which had attacked Isshin – and after she got saved from hollowfication by Isshin Shizuka found herself getting befriended with both of them also when Ichigo was born. She sometimes had babysit Ichigo and got attached to him back then. At some time the contact broke off and Shizuka got surprised when she saw him again in school, grown up. Shizuka needed some time to stop seeing him as the baby he once was and while they spent more and more time together she started to fall for him and got to know he had the same feelings for her and they got a couple.

Reminiscing about her time with Ichigo she realized she longed to see him, it made her chest tighten. Shizuka wondered if it would be alright to go and visit him, after all she still felt bad that she left without any words, even without a good-bye.

She stood up and decided to see him, she wanted to apologize for not telling him where she was going or even disappearing without saying good-bye. Shizuka yawned as she left her room and heard Kisuke talking with someone in the shop and wondered who it might be. She slid the door aside and then saw Karin there with Kisuke who presented her some equipment. Shizuka noticed how a big smile appeared on her lips as she saw Ichigo's younger sister. Karin looked up and when she saw her a smile appeared on Karin's lips, too.

"Shi-nee!" She shouted excited and walked towards the older girl while Shizuka smiled as she hugged Karin.

"Heh, you really have grown a lot, Karin-chan." Shizuka said. Karin was reaching up to her chin now and also her body grew a bit so she wasn't really looking more like a boy than back then.

"You didn't change at all." Karin replied as she let go of Shizuka and looked up to her brother's girlfriend. "When did you return?"

"Today." She replied. "I didn't got to do anything until now."

"I thought you wanted to go and rest." Kisuke said from behind but Shizuka only shrugged with her shoulders.

"Yeah, but I changed my mind." She replied and then looked back at Karin. "Say, is your brother at home?"

"He was when I have left." Karin answered. "Wanna see him?"

"Sure." Shizuka replied and then looked up to Kisuke. "I'm going to come back soon, alright?"

"Take your time." Kisuke said, he knew of her feelings towards Ichigo and so hadn't anything against it to let her stay some time with the Kurosakis. Shizuka left with a small nod and followed Karin to the Kurosaki house.

"You've been away for quite some time, Shi-nee." Karin said as she looked up to her and Shizuka smiled apologetically at her.

"I'm sorry, but I had to do some errands." She replied. "It had to do with my powers, you know?"

"So you have been training all these months?" Karin asked surprised and Shizuka nodded.

"Yeah, I had to." Shizuka replied. She was still angry she was partly forced to train in the Soul King Palace.

"I see. Still, you shouldn't have left without saying anything. You made Ichi-nii worried. He was depressed for some time because of it." Karin said and Shizuka bit on her bottom lip. It made her feel guilty now that she had left without any word.

"Sorry..." She muttered and looked at the bag Karin was holding. "By the way, what did you bought from Kisuke?"

"Some things against souls and these hollows. Unlike you and Ichi-nii, I don't have shinigami powers."

"I guess that will come soon." Shizuka replied and noticed that Karin mustn't have inherited Isshin's shinigami powers, she could also be only a Quincy. This actually made her worried because it's known that shinigami and Quincy usually never get along and so Karin and Ichigo's relationship could suffer under it. She tried to swipe these weird thoughts off and only smiled.

"I don't think so." Karin said as they reached the Kurosaki house and Shizuka followed Karin into the house. The furniture hadn't changed at all and everything looked the same way before she left. Shizuka took off her shoes and followed Karin into the living room. She could feel the reiatsu of Ichigo and it made her heart thump faster.

"Oh, Karin-chan, are you back already?" Yuzu said who was in the kitchen but when she saw Shizuka Yuzu let out a little shriek when she jumped into Shizuka's arms and nearly knocked down the female shinigami but Shizuka only stumbled back and caught her balance again.

"Onee-chan, you're back!" Yuzu said while she hugged Shizuka tightly and the latter noticed she also grew a lot but was smaller than Karin around half a head.

Seemingly because of Yuzu's shriek Isshin appeared to see what was going on and when he saw Shizuka he got one of his dumb expressions and went to her for a bear hug but Karin pushed him away and the two of them got in an argue while Yuzu still refused to let go of Shizuka. This made the shinigami realize that she truly had returned home as these sort of argues were totally normal. Ichigo seemingly got alarmed by the noise downstairs as he suddenly appeared in the living room and found his father being held in a headlock by Karin while Yuzu was squeezing Shizuka as the latter had problems to breathe.

"What are you all doing?" He asked and when his eyes met Shizuka's they got bigger and Shizuka noticed how she smiled upon seeing his face. Just like his sisters Ichigo also grew and his soft facial features disappeared and his hair seemed to be a bit longer. This made Shizuka feel down as she was the only one who hadn't changed, she only had a strong layered cut in her usually straight brown hair she inherited from her father.

"Welcoming Shizuka-chan home, of course." Isshin breathed stertorous and still tried to get away from Karin's headlock but couldn't get away because his daughter had a strong hold.

"Could you all loosen up?" Ichigo said and grabbed Yuzu on her collar and pulled her away from his girlfriend and Shizuka took a deep breathe as she got to get air again.

"You should be as excited that she's back as we are." Yuzu said while Ichigo only raised his eyebrow and grabbed Shizuka's hand to pull her away from his cracking up family. He pulled her up the stairs and then to his room where the 15 was still hanging on his door. Ichigo opened the door and let Shizuka inside before he followed her and closed the door behind his back.

"Hey." He said as she turned around to him. "Sorry for the fuss they're making."

"Don't worry, I'm used to it after all." Shizuka replied and smiled. Then Ichigo suddenly put his arms around her and pressed her tightly to his body and put his head on her shoulder. He had done this whenever he had been upset but right now it seemed to be quite difficult because he grew taller, seventeen months ago he was only half a head taller than she was but now he was a little bit more than a head taller than Shizuka. She also put her arms around his back and inhaled Ichigo's scent, the one she missed most during these months.

"I'm sorry for leaving without saying anything. I guess I wouldn't have been able to leave once I'll see you." Shizuka muttered as she felt how Ichigo pressed her tighter to his body and Shizuka heard a small chuckle coming from him. Getting confused she wondered why he was laughing as Ichigo loosened his grip on her and stroked through her hair.

"I knew that already." He replied. "I have got a visit from Yui-san not long after Aizen's defeat. She told me what had happened and that you had to go to train."

"What?! She did come here?!" Shizuka shouted shocked and got embarrassed over the thought her mother visiting Ichigo.

"Yes, she told me that it was important for you to go there." Ichigo said as he cupped her cheek with his hand and stroke with his thumb over her cheek.

"Yeah, it was." She replied although right now she couldn't really use what she learned during he training. That special power every member of the Royal Family possess was still sealed deep within her so she couldn't really use it, still she knew it might be helpful in the future.

Shizuka felt without really noticing it how Ichigo leaned forward and pressed his lips on hers and she winced in surprise. She then replied his kiss and closed her eyes as Ichigo claimed her lips in several angles while she tried to catch breathe as his kisses always were intense and passionate. She held to his collar as she knew that she had to hold onto something to not loose consciousness. Ichigo pulled her closer as his tongue passed her lips and intertwined with hers. Shizuka gasped as she tried to get air and tried to get away. Ichigo then let go of her and smiled.

"Wanna stay overnight?" He asked and pressed his forehead to his and she nodded.

"Sure." She replied and then stood on tiptoes to kiss him this time, she needed to stay with Ichigo for some time, she wasn't able to do so in seventeen months.

**Writer's notes:**

I did rewrite the story because I got a new idea (or maybe because I started to play Bleach: The 3rd Phantom again and read through the last stroy and started to dislike it). I knew I spent a long, long time on the old one but I had a better idea and also changed some things. I hope you all like this story, too. I also changed Eliza into Shizuka because I found that name better and her surname into Urahara since Kisuke adopted her. Also, this story will only take part in the Thousand Year Blood War Arc. I also try to make the chapters longer than last time so hope you had fun!


	2. A new enemy

**Chapter II**

**-A new enemy-**

The morning sun was the one which woke Shizuka up and she squinted her eyes as she looked right into the sun which was shining through the curtains into Ichigo's room. The sunrays were dazzling her and she raised her hand to stop the sun to blind her.

Shizuka turned around and hit her head against Ichigo's chin. However he doesn't seemed to be disturbed and only turned around on his back.

"Ouch." She muttered and rubbed her head as she looked at her sleeping boyfriend. It made her feeling peaceful when she looked at Ichigo and she reached out her hand to stroke through his fluffy orange hair. She was so happy to be home again, especially in her beloved boyfriend's arms. She did enjoy every moment she did spent with Ichigo and put her arms around him and was about to go back to sleep but felt then unfamiliar reiatsu and concentrated a bit to locate and recognize the reiatsu. She could feel them in the center of the town and also couldn't recognize the reiatsu but it felt like two low-class shinigami who probably have to go on patrol here. She sighed as she noticed she couldn't go back to sleep because she got concentrated and climbed over Ichigo and grabbed her clothes and took them on. When Shizuka went down the stairs she could already smell Yuzu making breakfast and got hungry.

"Good morning." She said when she saw Yuzu and the younger girl turned around and she smiled.

"Good morning, Onee-chan!" Yuzu replied. "Do you want to drink something?"

"Later maybe. Shall I help you?" Shizuka asked as she lean against the door frame.

"No, it's alright." Yuzu replied as she started to put the rice in the bowls. "Is Onii-chan still sleeping?"

"Yeah, he is." Shizuka said and saw a little, teasing smile on Yuzu's lips appearing while she furrowed her brows. "Don't even dare to mention something suggestive."

"All right, all right." Yuzu said and reached Shizuka the bowl with rice. "Could you put them on the table and wake Onii-chan up?"

"Sure thing." Shizuka replied and put the bowls on the table. As the bowls were placed on the table Shizuka went up to Ichigo's room and shook his shoulders.

"Wake up, Ichigo." She said and shook his shoulders gently but he only grunted and turned around without even waking up. Pouting a bit Shizuka then shook him harder but this time he pulled the sheets above his head. Remembering how he once squashed her when he tried to wake her up so she decided to take revenge and with a big smile she dive into the bed, nearly smashing Ichigo against the wall and it finally woke him up.

"S- Shizuka?! What are you doing?!"

"Waking you up, of course." Shizuka said and giggled as Ichigo furrowed his brows while he looked at her. But then he chuckled and tousled her hair.

"I guess that was the revenge for back then when I nearly squashed you." He said and finally moved out of the bed.

"Right. Now come down, Yuzu made breakfast." She said and was about to leave when suddenly Ichigo grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into his arms. He gave her a brief smooch on the lips and then pressed her against his chest again.

"Are you alright?" She asked worried as Ichigo slowly let got of her.

"Yeah, sure. I only needed to hug you." He said and stood up together with her while she raised one eyebrow.

"You know, I don't want to give you orders but you really shouldn't go down in your birthday suit." She said and Ichigo looked down and winced.

"Oh, right." He said and turned around to grab his clothes. Every time they had slept together after their first night together he blushed whenever he saw Shizuka or saw naked in front of her and Shizuka felt the same way but now they probably have gotten used to see each other naked. After Ichigo finally got dressed they went together down to eat breakfast.

Shizuka then heard her phone vibrating in her shorts and knew it was a message. She checked who did write her a message and noticed it was Kisuke.

"_Come over, I have something interesting to show you."_

Wondering what Kisuke wanted from her she ate quickly breakfast and also accompanied Ichigo to school.

"You won't return to school?" Ichigo asked as they waited for his bus.

"I think over it. I'll have to make them believe I never left. I guess Kisuke has got something for this." Shizuka said as she couldn't imagine anything to help against it aside the Kikanshinki but it wasn't made for this purpose. As Ichigo was about to ask her something she heard familiar voices behind herself and found Keigo and Mizuiro approaching them.

"Oh, Shizuka-chan!" The two said and smiled as she nodded as an answer.

"Nice to see you again." She said as she realized those two also had changed although their personalities didn't seemed to change at all.

"You didn't changed at all." Mizuiro said while Shizuka sighed. She knew she wasn't changing, after all her Gigai was a slowly aging one, in 107 years she did only age from the appearance of a five years old girl to a seventeen years old one.

"Thanks." She said with a slight grimace and couldn't help to sound ironic and offended. Mizuiro and Keigo laughed and they asked her where she had been while Shizuka didn't hesitated to tell them she was training, after all she knew Kisuke told them about everything and also got questions if she saw Rukia there.

"I didn't got to see them during these seventeen months." Shizuka replied as the bus finally arrived to collect the students. She raised her hand to see the three off and decided to return back to the Urahara Shop since Kisuke wanted to show her something.

Once she reached the Shop she slid aside the door to his laboratory.

"I'm home." She said and saw how Kisuke looked around to her and smiled.

"Hey, Shizuka-chan. Let me introduce you to my new invention to you." He said when she went over to him and sat down next to her adoptive father. He had a piece of paper with black pills in it and Shizuka furrowed her brows when she looked at it.

"What is this?"

"Special pills which can make a Bankai poisonous if it's stolen." Kisuke replied and let Shizuka take a look on them.

"You can steal Bankai?" Shizuka asked surprised and took one of those pills and looked at it.

"Yes, it seems to be possible." Kisuke raised his head and looked at her. "You probably didn't heard of the 1st Division's lieutenant's death, right?"

"Chojiro Sasakibe died?" Shizuka said shocked as she gave him the pill back.

"Yes, I heard he got killed in action. Also some hooded figures appeared in front of the Captain-Commander and made a proclamation of war which will take place in several days."

"You're kidding, right? Who would be this dumb to start a war with the Seireitei?" She wondered while Kisuke patted her head.

"Don't call people stupid you don't know." He reminded her while Shizuka frowned.

"I know, but still, a war against the shinigami?" She asked while Kisuke shrugged.

"No one knows why." Kisuke replied while Shizuka furrowed her brows, she would of course take part in the war, she was an ally of the Soul Society after all. She then felt Kisuke's hand on her head. "Don't think too much about this, I guess it's end soon enough." He said to comfort her but Shizuka only smiled.

"You might be right." She replied. "But were these pills the only invention you have made in these seventeen months?"

"Of course not. Let me show you some other inventions." He said and then started to show some other inventions to Shizuka who spent most of the day trying them out; since ever she had been small she loved it to watch how Kisuke created new things and also helped him from time to time.

After dinner she got a message from Ichigo who told her they saved two low-class shinigami from death and that they were meeting at his house so she could come over, too. She then grabbed a plain soul candy container in any case and made her way to the Kurosaki house where she could feel the reiatsu of her friends and these two she felt before.

Before she could ring the bell the door opened and she found Ichigo standing there.

"Hi." He said with a little smile and hugged her briefly and just like this morning he gave her a brief, but passionate kiss. "I missed you."

"But we did saw each other this morning." Shizuka said and reached out to softly pinch his cheek as Ichigo closed the entrance door as soon as she was inside. In fact, she also had longed to see him the whole day over, she had already wondered if she was getting dependent on the feeling having him close to her.

"We found some shinigami who were about to be killed by Hollows, I guess they're something like a replacement for Kumudayani." Ichigo said and again spelled the name of Zennosuke Kurumadani wrong.

"I see. I did feel their reiatsu this morning." She replied as they reached Ichigo's room and he let her inside.

"Hey." She said and when she saw Orihime, Uryu and Chad she smiled. Orihime immediately get up to greet her friend although Shizuka hesitated to greet her, she had got a slight dislike towards Orihime since ever she got to know she fell for Ichigo. Sometimes her jealousy was annoying her but tried to hide it and greet her. She also saw two shinigami with quite fragile bodies. The one was a girl and the other a boy and they introduced themselves as Shino and Ryunosuke Yuki.

"Replacements for that guy, huch?" Shizuka said, sitting next to Ichigo on the bed.

"Yes, they told us to gain experience here." Shino said. Shizuka saw she was clearly impressed by the fact she could hide her reiatsu completely.

"But we never knew there would be such strong Hollows here." Yuki said and then Orihime told them about the Hollows while Shizuka grabbed a can with a soft drink inside when suddenly a cold chill went down her spine and she felt a strong reiatsu close. She looked around towards the window in the moment when it went open and a man stepped inside. He had short red hair which was swept back and a mask fragment on his forehead which hid his left eye, just like an Arrancar. He was wearing everything in white and had a little smile on his lips.

Ichigo turned around and glanced up to the guy.

"I'm Asguiaro Ebern. Do you have any other questions?"

"I don't know who you are, but get off that bed." Ichigo said and squinted his eyes.

"I refuse." Ebern said but then Ichigo kicked him and Shizuka lean back and opened the window and kicked him outside.

"Who the hell was that? He looked like an Arrancar with this mask." Ishida said surprised while Ichigo only grabbed his substitute shinigami badge and turned into his shinigami form before pouncing after him.

"I guess he was an Arrancar." Shizuka said and then ran after Ichigo out of the window in order to see if he was well and to protect him if he will get injured. She followed them in mid-air until she was on the roof of a house, right underneath them. Shizuka could see Ebern having a cresent-shaped weapon which was several times bigger than his own size and also got four cannons attached to it which presumably fires blasts of spiritual energy.

"Only one of them did follow you?" Ebern asked as he looked down to Shizuka but Ichigo tried to block his sight so Ebern won't get the idea to attack her.

"Shut up." Ichigo said and swung his Zanpakuto but Ebern dodged and fired the cannons. This time Shizuka reacted and raised her arm.

"**Bakudo #81; Danku!" **She called and an invisible wall appeared before Ichigo and protected him from Ebern's attack. This seemingly angered the Arrancar as he used Sonído to get behind her. Shizuka however blocked his attack with a single palm strike.

"You're currently fighting Ichigo." She said and grabbed his face. "So end that fight first!" She hurled him then back into the air to Ichigo who nearly cut Ebern in the back but the Arrancar turned around and could avoid the slash.

"I will tell you something, Kurosaki Ichigo." Ebern said. "Use your Bankai. Otherwise you won't be able to defeat me."

Feeling it being a trap Shizuka knit her eyebrows but stayed still and didn't told Ichigo anything, she wanted to see what kind of powers that Arrancar had. He may be one of those who had killed Chojiro Sasakibe. She felt Ebern's gaze on her and only smiled crooked.

"Forget it, you're not worth it to use my Bankai against." She said and crossed her arms before her chest while in the back of her head she heard a chuckle, knowing it was coming from her Zanpakuto, Kyuketsuki no Yurei. Ebern looked angrily at her and was about to fire the cannon at her but she only reminded him to finish the fight with Ichigo. Shizuka then looked over to Ichigo who also took a glance over to her.

"You can go out fully. I'm watching your back." She said and Ichigo nodded, he grabbed the hilt of Zangetsu with both hands and released his blue reiatsu.

"**Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!"**

While Shizuka was admiring how Ichigo's Bankai look also changed she noticed how Ebern raised a weird medallion in his hand.

When Ichigo fully changed into his Bankai suddenly columns of light encompassed him and Shizuka's eyes widen out of surprise.

"**Sea, become clouds. Clouds become rain. Rain become mist. All things that have a shape, vanish. At the end of your joy we throw the cup to the ground."**

The Bankai on Ichigo's arm broke and disappeared in the columns of light. Shizuka wondered if this was what Kisuke meant by stealing one's Bankai and she was about to call to Ichigo to change back to his Shikai but stopped when Ichigo uttered a scream as the columns of light broke. Ichigo's Bankai seemed not to be stolen, he still was in the form of Tensa Zangetsu.

"**Getsuga Tensho!" **

A cresent-shaped black spiritual blast came out of his Zanpakuto was was firing right at Ebern whose eyes were widen, probably because he couldn't believe that Ichigo's Bankai wasn't stolen.

"That's... impossible!" Ebern shouted as he was fully hit by Ichigo's attack and flew back, his eyes sparkled with anger. "Your Bankai should have vanished!"

Ichigo went closer to Ebern and held his Zanpakuto to Ebern's neck.

"Vanish? What do you mean with this?" He asked and squinted his brown eyes.

"He means he wanted to steal your Bankai!" Shizuka called to Ichigo. "Kisuke told me about this!"

Ichigo looked from her to his enemy who was gazing up to him with trembling anger.

"I didn't care about you at first." He then said. "But after these last five minutes I suddenly got a lot of things to do. You're coming with me."

"Shit." Was Ebern's only answer as a shadow appeared underneath him and Ichigo made some steps back, thinking it was another attack.

"Don't worry." Ebern said as he squinted his eyes while looking at Ichigo and then at Shizuka. "The shadow only hides the chosen ones." He vanished behind the shadows as Ichigo was about to grab him and the teenager hissed then.

"Shit!" He yelled and then turned around to Shizuka who was partly looking worried at him. "You alright?"

"Sure." She replied when Ichigo then jumped down until he was on the same rooftop she was standing on. "He even didn't do anything."

"That's good." Ichigo suddenly put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

"Ichigo?" Shizuka asked surprised as he pulled her closer until he was pressing her tightly to himself.

"I got worried when he attacked you." He said and then lean over to press his lips against hers and again his kisses turned passionate, he held the back of her head to press her lips more tightly against his and Shizuka closed her eyes to enjoy the togetherness for now. She somehow got the feeling she won't get to be alone with Ichigo for some time.

"That guy... he had a Quincy cross." Ichigo said as he slowly let go of her and Shizuka looked shocked at him. She remembered how her mother once talked with someone about the hidden empire called Vandenreich which was lead by the sealed king of the Quincies. Having a bad feeling about this she gulped.

"So he was a Quincy?" She wondered. "When this is going around Quincies... then let's not tell Ishida about this."

"Yeah... you're right."

With this the two jumped down from the house and went back to Ichigo's house to tell their friends what had happened.

Meanwhile Ebern reached the castle where his majesty was waiting for him to report what happened. Kneeling before him another fellow Arrancar appeared and looked at him with disdain.

"Ebern? How admirable of you to bow before me. Judging from you appearance I reckon you were a little bit impatient." He said.

Ebern raised his head, looking at disdain at his fellow Arrancar.

"You kidding me? Who would bow before someone like you?"

"What did you said?" The other Arrancar asked. "Do you know who you're talking to?"

"Stop it!" A soft, yet serious voice stopped both from fighting and in the next moment the other Arrancar's right arm who then crumpled with a painful scream.

"Geez, how many times do I have to tell you? Do not fight in front of me." The voice said. It was an old man, also clothed in white with a black cloak. "I don't like fights. Now let me hear your reports for the sake of peace."

The other Arrancar still panted and tried to sat up, looking at the old man in front of him. With a trembling voice he started to tell him what happened and once he was finished also his head was slayed off his body and the blood splashed on Ebern who was sitting behind him.

"Ebern."

"Ah, yes, sir!"

"I don't need to praise or blame you for you actions. You did your best to slow down Kurosaki Ichigo." The old man said while Ebern nodded.

"Thank you very much!"

"Your job is over." The soft voice was exactly the opposite of the man's actions. With a single move of his hand he destroyed the Arrancar.

"You can become the foundation stone to build peace." The man lean back again and looked up to the sky. He had saw Ebern's fight against Kurosaki Ichigo, but his interest was awoken in the girl who had been there, too.

"Urahara Shizuka." He muttered, even through he had been watching the fight partially through Ebern's eyes he could feel the strong, but sealed power, inside of her. Her power was almost as dangerous and powerful as his own. It woke his interest and with a little smile towards the sky, he closed his eyes, as imagined how it would be to have that girl among his subordinates.


	3. Yhwach

**Chapter III**

**-Yhwach-**

The next day after Ebern attacked Ichigo Shizuka talked with Kisuke about this who had furrowed his brows while she were talking.

"I see. So that was what happened." He said and hid partially his face behind his fan. "I was wondering whose reiatsu it might be. I never felt such one before."

"I would have never believed that it were the Quincy who had made a proclamation of war." Shizuka said as she drunk the tea Tessai had prepared. The former Kido Corps captain was sitting with Kisuke and Shizuka by the table and listened to their conversation.

"We have been alarmed by the Soul Society already." Kisuke said. "I'm going to develop the Shin'eiyaku further. I think it might be very helpful if they really are able to steal away Bankai." Kisuke said when he stood up and made his way to his laboratory while Shizuka stayed behind with Tessai. She heard that Nel had appeared in front of Ichigo once she left yesterday and Ichigo together with Orihime and Chad had left with them to Hueco Mundo. Kisuke told Shizuka to stay here, if Soul Society will call out an emergency she will be the one to rush over while Kisuke stayed here, too, carrying a Pero around. Orihime had the other Pero and could call him once something happens. Kisuke then appeared out of his laboratory again and looked seriously at Tessai and Shizuka.

"Let's create a Garganta, I'm going to Hueco Mundo." He said and together with Tessai and Shizuka they went to the underground training room to open the Garganta to Hueco Mundo. Both Shizuka and Tessai let their reiatsu flow into the two black columns and Kisuke looked then over to Shizuka.

"Shizuka-chan, please head over to the Soul Society and try to get some information about the Vandenreich. If they'll attack sooner then try to support them as much as you can." Kisuke said and Shizuka nodded.

"Yeah, take care... and don't die." She replied with a little smile and Kisuke patted her head silently before taking off into the Garganta which closed behind him. Shizuka stared at the point where Kisuke disappeared and felt a weird heavy feeling lingering in her chest and bit down her lip.

"Don't worry, Shizuka-dono." Tessai said. "They all will be alright."

Hearing his comforting words Shizuka sighed and took one Gikongan. She swallowed it whole and felt her soul getting ripped from her body. Since the fight with Aizen her appearance as a shinigami had changed. She was now having the upper part of her hair tied to the back of her head and also her shihakusho changed. It was similar to the one of the commander-in-chief of the Onmitsukido, with no sleeves and and opened back. She had a chain-mail in the fashion of a tube-top covering her chest and back and also was wearing protection arm guards. Her Zanpakuto was hanging on a golden chain on her wine red obi which was tied on her back.

"Alright. I'll be going, too. As long as we're away, try to guard the Human World, Tessai." She said as she opened a Senkaimon and a Hell Butterfly came out of it. She followed the Hell Butterfly into the Senkaimon and while she was running she wondered how her friends were doing and if the people in the Soul King Palace knew about all this. She knew she had to believe in her friends but she couldn't stop to worry.

Soon she appeared in the Soul Society and noticed something, unfamiliar, strong reiatsu.

She had landed in the middle of the Seireitei and could feel something like a blast of reiatsu, followed by a loud noise. It sounded just like a cero had been fired but Shizuka could feel that this weren't the Arrancar. She tried to reach the closest division barracks and saw columns of light and smoke all over the sky and knew she did arrived just at the right time; it seemed like the Vandenreich was invading the Soul Society.

Shizuka stopped as she felt one reiatsu being stronger than any else. She may had never felt it before but Shizuka knew that this was the reiatsu of the leader of the Vandenreich. Without thinking much about this she rushed over to the reiatsu.

As she passed some shinigami she heard that already 27 shinigami had died and Izuru Kira's reiatsu had disappeared.

_I never knew the Quincies could get this strong._ She thought as she jumped on the rooftop of one of the still intact buildings and then rushed over to the reiatsu.

She soon found the man, it was a bald one with a third eye on his forehead and next to him was a blonde man. Not hesitating she drew her Zanpakuto.

"**Kakusei, Kyuketsuki no Yurei."**

With the command her Zanpakuto changed and clasped black bandages around her arm which were made of tear-resistant linen.

Also the blade changed it's shape and became square-edged. Something like a black, dusty shadow was coming out of the blade and she jumped over the guy who might be the king of the Quincies, Yhwach.

**"Yami Senko!"** She shouted and let out a blast of black, dusty spiritual power.

The blonde man took a glance up and flinched seeing the attack.

"Your Majesty!" He shouted while the man who Shizuka thought was Yhwach only nodded.

"I know already." He said and dodged Shizuka's attack who got startled and jumped back.

"Impossible." She muttered as she gripped the hilt of her Zanpakuto tighter and looked with squinted eyes at Yhwach. She was told he looks like an old man and wondered why - that guy before her doesn't looked like an old man.

"Urahara Shizuka... good you're here. Now we don't have to search for you." Yhwach said as he went closer while Shizuka backed away. She was about to attack him but he only gripped the blade of her Zanpakuto.

"You should stop doing unnecessary things." He said while Shizuka looked up in shock to him. Although she had trained all these moths she was unable to move under his intimidating eyes. Suddenly she felt how Yhwach put his hand on her chest and hurled her away. Shizuka tried to stop her flight but eventually crashed into some buildings before she felt how someone stopped her flight and she stood on her legs again.

"Hey, you should better watch out where you're flying."

That was Kenpachi's voice she was hearing. Shizuka turned around and saw him then. Around him lay three dead Quincies.

"Did you slay them all?" She asked surprised, barely noticing how the captain of the 11th division had changed in appearance.

"Yeah. But that had been boring. They were too weak." Kenpachi answered as he passed her, swinging his Zanpakuto in boredom.

Shizuka then felt the reiatsu of Yhwach coming closer and quickly grabbed the hilt of her released Zanpakuto.

"Then now is a strong one coming over." She said. "Their king."

"Finally." Kenpachi said, looking excited.

Then Yhwach appeared and behind him the blonde Quincy.

"Which one is the king?" Kenpachi said and went towards Yhwach and the blonde Quincy. "The one with the stronger reiatsu, huch?"

"Did you killed all three?" Yhwach asked, seemingly impressed by Kenpachi's action.

"Yeah. But they're just trash." Kenpachi answered. Then he pounced towards Yhwach who stopped Kenpachi's sword with one hand and the blast destroyed the buildings.

"He dodged even Kenpachi's attack." Shizuka mumbled shocked.

Yhwach defeated Kenpachi really quickly and hold him then on his throat into the air.

"Number one in the Special War Power... Zaraki Kenpachi. So that's who the trash is, eh? So fragile. I think I overestimated you guys. It's time to bed. Soul Society will be destroyed soon." Then he threw Kenpachi aside into one building and looked over to Shizuka who was ready to fight, she could feel how her own Zanpakuto was on fire to fight.

As Yhwach made one step towards her a fire appeared behind him. In the fire the Captain-Commander appeared.

"It's been nearly a thousand years... Yhwach." Said the Captain-Commander calmly as he stepped out of the flames which slowly disappeared. "I have come to rip the life out of you."

Suddenly three Quincy started a sneak attack from above and tried to kill Yamamoto. However they were burned by Yamamoto's flames while they were screaming something.

"You stupid fools." The Captain-Commander said once the burned bodies fell to the ground.

"This is what happens when you meddle in my battles." Yhwach said sternly. Shingekuni Yamamoto turned around to him and glared with a calm expression.

"What?" Yhwach asked. "Those eyes seem to want to say something."

But then Yamamoto grabbed his Zanpakuto, Ryujin Jakka, tighter and with it's unreleased blade he slashed Yhwach. The latter quickly raised his arm to dodge the attack but Yamamoto was stronger and cut him.

"Your Majesty!" Shouted the blonde Quincy but Yhwach made a sign to not come closer.

"You haven't changed, Yhwach. This nasty habit of thinking nothing of your subordinates."

Yhwach just looked up and grinned.

"You have gotten old, Shingekuni Yamamoto." He said. "You're still lose yourself in anger."

"Silence!" Shouted Yamamoto angrily and used an attack with fire against Yhwach who dodged it.

Yhwach grabbed a badge with a cross and drew a sword out of the badge. It seemed like it was his Spirit weapon. With a blast the sword appeared in his hand.

"So you've finally drew it." Yamamoto said. Shizuka looked amazed at the fight but don't took away her Zanpakuto. There was still the other Quincy who could attack her, the blonde one. Besides, Yhwach said they didn't needed to search for her.

"It sounds like you have waited until I'll draw it." Yhwach answered.

"Why do you think I was waiting for it?" Asked Yamamoto.

"Your blood, your flesh, your sword, your soul... Your very bones. It was so I could crush them all." Said Yhwach with a small smile, pointing the blade of the reishi sword at the Captain-Commander.

Then suddenly the flames around Yamamoto Shingekuni disappeared.

Shizuka wondered why the flames which appeared through his anger disappeared again as she watched the fight.

**"Bankai."** Said the Captain-Commander. **"Zanka no Tachi"**

While Yhwach was still surprised by the Captain-Commader's Bankai Shizuka got shocked that the Captain-Commander used his Bankai although the Quincies were stealing them.

"Yamamoto-san..." She said.

"Stay back, Urahara Shizuka." Said the old shinigami. "I don't want you to get roped into this."

By his order Shizuka jumped up to a rooftop to watch the fight from there. She was always told that it's very important to watch fights to get used to the enemy's skills and techniques and also to learn what not to do close to the enemy.

"Bankai?" The blonde Quincy asked surprised. "That Bankai just dispersed all the flames and left behind a little charred Katana?"

"Don't underestimate it. Zanka no Tachi is a Bankai with every bit of that man's flame sealed into that Katana. It's the end of everything it touches." Yhwach replied and furrowed his brows. "Everything it cuts is eradicated from life. It's a blade truly of fire."

"I see." Yamamoto answered." You have seen this Bankai once, thousand years ago."

"I wonder if it is the same Bankai like it was all these years ago." Yhwach said. Then the Captain-Commander looked kind of devilish at his enemy.

"Whether or not it's the same as it was thousand years ago. Let's test it out on your body."

Shingekuni Yamamoto attacked Yhwach from the front and the king of the Quincies stepped some steps back. Ryujin Jakka just cut the cloak but no flames came out. Then Yamamoto attacked Yhwach again but again no flames came out.

"The edge!" Suddenly Juha Bach shouted.

"Correct." Yamamoto answered. **"Zanka no Tachi east. Kyokujitsujin.** All the flames that it posses are concentrated on my blade's edge. It neither burn or erupt... but anything it touches is eradicated without a trace!"

Yhwach and Yamamoto then disappeared in the flames.

When Shizuka saw the blonde Quincy rushing after them she did exactly the same. As she reached the shinigami and the Quincy she found the Captain-Commander encompassed by very hot flames.

**"Zanka no Tachi west. Zanjitsugoki."** The Captain-Commander had an expression of rage as he pointed the sword spike at Yhwach. "It's heat reaches fifteen million degrees. Now you cannot even touch me. Now, that I unleashed my Bankai, think of both, my body and sword, as the embodiment of the sun!"

"Fifteen million degrees?" Muttered Shizuka to herself while she was looking from afar to not getting burned by the flames. "What an awesome Bankai."

She wouldn't be able to let her Bankai look this awesome, it only boosts all of her skills.

Then she saw Yamamoto getting closer to Juha Bach.

"Now then, let's end this, Yhwach." He said. "When this won't end soon, you and I, and the whole Soul Society will burn to ash."

Shizuka let both men fighting for a while and looked around to see how the others were. She closed her eyes to concentrate.

She felt several reiatsu of her friends and furrowed her brows, wondering if they were alright. She again got worried about those who went to Hueco Mundo but remembered what Tessai said; to believe in them.

Suddenly she heard a loud explosion from Yhwach and Yamamoto and turned her head around. Yhwach had fired an arrow of reishi towards Yamamoto who dodged the attack.

Through the flames Shizuka couldn't hear what both were saying. She could see how they were talking and saw how Yamamoto jumped at Yhwach who reached out his arm to him.

Then suddenly columns with crosses on its end appeared around Yhwach who looked quite relieved to be able to do this. Seemingly it was a defense spell of the Quincy.

"I told you it wouldn't work!" She heard Yamamoto shouting who rammed his blade into the ground in front of Yhwach.

**"Oh corpses, ashes of the dead scattered by my flames, lend me your aid. For a spell I shall grant you the pleasure of battle. Zanka no Tachi south."**

The ground around Yamamoto cracked, right there where he had put his Zanpakuto into the ground.

**"Kaka Juumanokushi Daisoujin!"**

Around Yamamoto appeared skeletons, some of them still were wearing clothes or were holding weapons.

Shizuka held her breath and her eyes widened by the thought that all these skeletons were people who had been once killed by the Captain-Commander

"What the hell is this?!" Yhwach yelled when the skeletons begun to march towards him and tried to get away.

The words of Yamamoto disappeared in the noise of flames and Shizuka could also hear Yhwach laughing and his voice surpassing the noise of the flames.

"How laughable that the head of the shinigami can call forth the dead! You bring disgrace upon the shinigami, Yamamoto Shigekuni!" Yhwach jumped over the skeletons which seemed quite easily to him, although he had short legs. "Don't think that I can be stopped by something like this!" Yhwach added as he landed in the middle of the skeletons.

His hand smashed into a pile of these burned skeletons and they crumpled first but then got up again.

The skeletons then suddenly begun to change into humans... no, into Quincies

Yamamoto turned around and made some distance between him and Yhwach for some reason.

They were now too far away to hear a word but Yhwach jumped after Yamamoto who strike out with his sword and cut Yhwach who finally fell to the ground.

Just now Shizuka realized that this wasn't the real Yhwach when she remembered how the king of the Quincies had been described to her, as a tall, elderly man with dark hair. This guy however was bald and young, with a third eye.

Shizuka knew that her eyes were able to see through every illusion created but this time also she got fooled and decided to warn the Captain-Commander.

"Yamamoto-san, this is not Yhwach!" She shouted but it seemed like Yamamoto also noticed it already.

"I'm sorry..." Mumbled the man who had copied Yhwach. "I'm sorry, Yhwach-sama..."

From somewhere behind her Shizuka heard an explosion and looked around, it just seemed as the 1st Division barracks had exploded and now were burning.

"Okikiba!" Shouted Yamamoto while Shizuka noticed that the strong reiatsu of Yhwach was coming out of there, the man also appeared and stopped before Yamamoto and Shizuka who still stood in a distance to him. This time it seemed to be the real deal, a tall, elderly man with dark hair and a mustache.

Yhwach only took a glance at the two before turning around to the other guy, the one who copied him.

"Yhwach... you..." Yamamoto said.

"Well done, Stern Ritter Y, _the Yourself_, Royd Lloyd." He said and Shizuka wondered why the Sternritter was crying. He looked like he was about to say something but instead Yhwach killed his subordinate in a small explosion.

"You fiend... what have you done all the time?" Yamamoto asked as Yhwach turned around to them again.

"...do you know what is underneath the 1st Division's barracks?" He asked. "I went to meet Sosuke Aizen."

Shizuka winced and Yhwach looked over to her with a slightly amused look. "I told him that he can join the Vandenreich and take revenge. We even told him that we won't lay a finger on his family but he still rejected."

Shizuka wondered where the Quincy knew from that she was a relative of Aizen, she certainly knew Sosuke Aizen wouldn't have told some stranger about his family.

Yhwach looked then back at Yamamoto again who seemed to hold back the feelings of rage.

"I asked him to join my Special War Powers. And he rejected. It's fine, now he has an eternity to think about that decision." Yhwach grinned. "Now then, did you use all your power?"

"Have at you!" Yamamoto shouted. **"Bankai!"**

But nothing happened. Yhwach just raised his hand with a medallion, similar to the one Ebern had when he tried to steal away Ichigo's Bankai. Just like it seemed the enemy got one of the strongest Bankai - and this wasn't good.

"It's not that your Bankai can't be stolen. Just no one other than I can control your immense power. I ordered the late Royd not attempt anything until I returned." He looked away to the side. "What can I do? I can use the power of your Bankai... to rouse the corpses of your own dead underlings."

This seemed to be too much for the Captain-Commander and he let his temper get the better of him.

"YOU...!"

Yamamoto raised his Zanpakuto and Yhwach did the same. A sword fell to the ground, between the two.

"Farewell, Shigekuni Yamamoto." Said Yhwach with a grin. Shizuka felt he prepared an attack which would kill the Captain-Commander who was unable to use his Bankai.

**"Bakudo #81; Danku!"**

The invisible wall was created in front of the old shinigami and reflected Yhwach's attack.

"Hm." Yhwach only made and appeared suddenly behind the Captain-Commander

"Yamamoto-san!" Shizuka shouted and tried to jump between both when Yhwach tried to attack Yamamoto but the captain of the 1st Division shove her aside.

"Not." He said and then Juha Bach slashed him with his spiritual sword.

"Captain-Commander!" Shizuka shouted shocked.

Yamamoto Shigekuni was slashed through his body and the upper part fell down to the ground.

Shizuka's heart stopped for a moment when she saw it, she sure did saw a lot of cruel ways people had been killed but this one was the most extreme one.

"You, the so-called elder of the shinigami, it's a pitiful sight, seeing you die like this. Yamamoto Shigekuni." Said Yhwach and turned towards Shizuka who still stared at Yamamoto's halved body. Suddenly the Captain-Commander grabbed Yhwach's cloak but he only cut off his arm.

"Even in death, you don't have any intentions of letting me leave?" Yhwach turned to Yamamoto and placed his foot on the old man's head. "How meaningless. You never manage to follow things through. Why else do you think, I didn't consider you as one of the 5 warring potentials? Why didn't you heal your left arm? If you had ordered that human girl, she would undoubtedly done it. But why didn't you? I already know. You just didn't want to depend on a human. I know all about it. Even during your battle with Aizen you were uncomfortable about relying on the human, Kurosaki Ichigo and the unseated shinigami, Urahara Shizuka And now, you try to shoulder not only Soul Society but the fate of the rest of the World on your shoulder alone. That is why you have lost. You have gotten weak. The former you was different. When the Gotei 13 began first you were known as Divisions. And were actually a bunch of murderous thugs. But that was why you were a group to be feared. You, who ruled over this group, were a true demons. You would do anything to cut down your enemy someone who couldn't care less for the lives of his subordinates. But all of that changed after the extermination of us, the Quincy. You got things to protect... once you got your hands on some peace. With that worthless justice and pride, this became a group of weaklings. Even in death you lie her unknowingly but let me tell you. Soul Society is going to be destroyed. The Gotei 13 died a thousand years ago... along with us."

And Yhwach raised his finger and shoot down some blast on Yamamoto which destroyed his body whole. Slowly he then turned around to Shizuka.

"There's no such need as being scared." He said as Shizuka noticed how she was slightly trembling. Actually, she wasn't afraid, it only was her primal instinct which was making her tremble.

"I'm not afraid." She said and gulped, standing up straight and gripping her Zanpakuto's hilt again.

"I indeed am not interested in fight you. My only interest lays in that special power which is sealed inside of you. I can feel it... the power is dangerous and strong and definitely unique. Something the Vandenreich might need." He raised his hand and put his index finger on her chest, there where her heart was. "But the seal is really strong, so I think it wasn't a shinigami who made it."

"So what? I never intend to go with you. You are a Quincy, the opposite to me. Besides, you dared to destroy the Seireitei which is under my family's protection."

"I see you have also a great potential to be a leader, as expected from the Soul King's niece." Yhwach said. "But I can't let you take place in this war on the shinigami's side."

Shizuka was about to avoid him but suddenly felt someone behind her. She looked around and noticed the bonde man standing there.

**"Amnesia Fist!"** His fists crashed in her temples before Shizuka could react, her whole brain seemed to be shaking and she felt dizzy for a moment before her sight got blurry and soon she lost consciousness.

"Well done, Haschwalth." Yhwach said as his subordinate caught the young woman before she could fell to the ground and put her over his shoulder.

"What do you want to do with her, Your Majesty?" Haschwalth asked as he looked around his shoulder in the girl's pale face.

"We can need her hidden power. She might be a shinigami but we can change her weapon." Yhwach grabbed Shizuka's Zanpakuto and broke it off the chain. A cold feeling appeared in his hand and he felt a pain as he let the katana fall down. In his palm were little cuts, probably created by the Zanpakuto spirit.

"Then, shall we leave, Your Majesty?" Haschwalth asked and was about to open a way back to their palace when suddenly a powerful blast of spiritual energy occurred on the sky above them.


	4. Desperation

**Chapter IV**

**-Desperation-**

Having the feeling hours had flew by Ichigo still tried to get out of the cage the Quincy Quilge Opie created. Ichigo got the call that Soul Society was invaded and decided to return while his friends still were in Hueco Mundo together with Kisuke. He got worried over Shizuka and wondered what she was doing while he tried to get out of the cage. His reiatsu was decreasing and he started to feel exhausted until he got a weird knot in his stomach.

He didn't knew why he had this feeling but knew it had something to do with his beloved girlfriend.

Having the feeling she was in danger his powers got boosted and with a roar he used Getsuga Tensho and the spiritual blast finally destroyed the cage he had been kept in.

He got through the Senkaimon and saw underneath a destroyed Seireitei. Nearly every building was nothing more than rubble.

Shocked Ichigo looked around until he saw Byakuya behind himself who was staggering to him.

"Are Rukia... and Renji... still alive...?" He asked. Although Byakuya was out of breathe and looked like he was about to die but still was more worried about others than himself.

Ichigo and searched briefly for Renji's and Rukia's reiatsu and also felt Shizuka's which gave him the longing to run to her.

"Yeah, they're alive... they're fine." Ichigo answered while he still worried about Shizuka.

"I see... I'm glad..." Said Byakuya. "I don't have much time left. As a captain of the Gotei 13, rendered helpless by these malevolent beings that trespass on Soul Society... resulting in the massacre of all these warriors... leaving nothing but an empty void in the families of my subordinates... without a doubt, facing the death under these circumstances brings a humiliation that echoes throughout every fiber of my being, if that weren't humbling enough, now you, a human boy, never meant to tread onto this battlefield... never meant to be here... in the end, please indulge this one last request... from this contemptible man standing before you, for having to place this burden on your shoulders. Please, protect Soul Society... Kurosaki Ichigo."

"I will." Ichigo said and followed the reiatsu of his girlfriend. Everywhere he looked were corpses inside of the rubble and he noticed how his anger rose.

He soon reached a charred battlefield, it looked like the whole place had been burning not long before. Ichigo saw a tall old man on the battlefield together with a blonde man. The old man looked really familiar to Ichigo, he had the feeling he had once saw him but didn't got an idea where from. He gripped the hilt of Zangetsu tighter and raised it above his head.

"**Getsuga Tensho!" **

He threw a blast of spiritual energy at the two men but the older one only raised his arm and dodged the attack.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. I don't know how you did it, but... I applaud you for escaping Kirge's jail. However, do you plan on fighting with me with your body in that tattered state." Yhwach said and smiled amused seeing the young shinigami in front of him.

"Are you... the enemy's leader?" Ichigo asked and squinted his eyes while he again gripped his Zangetsu tighter again.

"Enemy, huh?" Yhwach said and crooked his head. "Yes, and no."

"Don't fuck with me!" Ichigo shouted enraged. "I'm asking if you're the one who turned Soul Society into this!"

Yhwach smiled as he watched the rage of the shinigami and raised his hand.

"Indeed, I am. I was about to leave so you shouldn't worry I'll destroy it fully." He replied. "I have took what I needed already."

Ichigo only glared at him, he knew he had took so many lives but then his gaze fell on the blonde man close to him and immediately realized what he meant.

"Shizuka!" He gasped as he saw his girlfriend unconscious in the grip of the blonde man. He put his Zanpakuto down and bit down on his lip.

"Yes. Vandenreich will need her powers." Yhwach said with a smile while this made Ichigo only more enraged. Using Shunpo he tried to get closer to the blonde man to take Shizuka away from him but he went quickly some steps aside.

"I am sorry, but we can't let you have her. Her powers are unique, we can't let her being an ally of the shinigami." He said as he went back until he was next to Yhwach.

Angry that they were trying to abduct Shizuka Ichigo let his light blue reiatsu outburst which wasn't impressing Yhwach and his subordinate at all.

"Your Majesty..." The blonde shinigami begun but Yhwach silenced him as he raised his hand.

"As you can see... Haschwalth, there's no other option now." Yhwach said and smiled while watching Ichigo's rage. "Let's crush him."

Ichigo ignored him and pounced as him, cutting with his Zanpakuto through the air.

"**GETSUGA TENSHO!" **

He fired the cresent-shaped dark spiritual blast on Yhwach and Haschwalth who still weren't impressed and the attack also seemed not to hurt them as Yhwach hit the blast aside and grabbed Ichigo's arm which was holding the katana and hurled him on the ground, crashing it.

Ichigo tried to hit Yhwach with his free hand but the old man stopped it and raised his own arm with the reishi sword.

Ichigo – not being able to move – was only watching horror-stricken how Yhwach cut through his throat. Pain rushed through his whole body but then Shizuka's face popped up in his mind and he reminded himself that he wanted to save her from the grip of Soul Society's enemy and the next moment he saw Yhwach's face again. He could feel a weird power rushing through his body and collecting by the injury while he stared angrily at Yhwach who – on the other hand – looked surprised at Ichigo. With a quick movement Ichigo raised his arm and his katana finally gave Yhwach a cut in his flesh.

"Your Majesty!" Haschwalth called but Yhwach made a sign with his hand that he was alright. He stepped out of the explosion created by the outburst of Ichigo's reiatsu and seemed not to be wounded.

"...it was a mistake." Yhwach said as he went closer to Haschwalth

"You're calling it a mistake, just because I endured through one of your attacks?" Ichigo asked confused as he stood up.

"No, not that." Yhwach answered and raised his sword to attack Ichigo again who tried to get to Haschwalth to get Shizuka from his grip but Ichigo quickly turned around and blocked the slash with his own Zanpakuto.

"So that really was what I saw..." Yhwach said as he took his sword away and looked really amused at Ichigo who was confused about the things Yhwach was saying.

"W...what are you talking about?" He asked. Ichigo took a quick glance over to Shizuka who had a pale face and her expression was painful so Ichigo wondered if they had hurt her. In the back of his mind Ichigo searched for openings to get Shizuka away from them but couldn't find any.

"It was a mistake on part to send a pure Quincy to stop you... it would have been better to send an Arrancar or something... thanks to that... the memories within your reiatsu have been awakened earlier that I would have liked." Yhwach said and looked calmly at Ichigo who got more confused over his words. He stood stunned there and his eyes widen as he slowly came to realization what Yhwach said.

"Whilst imprisoned by Kirge's jail, you must have released your reiatsu to the very limit to destroy it. When all that reiatsu exploded out of you, the remaining reiatsu must have sucked in some of the surrounding as well when coming back to you. And when it reached the depths of your soul, Kirge's reiatsu must have awakened the memories within your reiatsu, from the very roots." Yhwach explained. "Kirge's jail was made to seal enemies... but it cannot seal a Quincy."

"What... what are you talking about? The memories in my reiatsu? I'm a Quincy?" Ichigo was stuttering out of confusion, his mind went blank by the idea he was a Quincy. He wondered from whom he could have inherited this. His father was a shinigami so it couldn't be he inherited it from this. But his mother...

"I see." Yhwach muttered. "You know nothing about yourself... or even of your own mother."

With a sharp pain in his heart to hear about his late mother Ichigo winced.

"What are..."

"I was hoping to slowly re-educate you after bringing you back. However, it appears it will not go that smoothly. I will overpower you by force... and drag you back." Yhwach said and was readying to attack Ichigo again.

"I'm asking you what you're talking about!" Ichigo shouted enraged as he also raised his Zanpakuto.

"Your questions will be answered when we return to the Vandenreich." Yhwach replied and tried to attack The young shinigami in front of him again but Ichigo dodged the attack easily. With his free hand Yhwach grabbed Ichigo's hair and tried to slash him with his sword.

"Next will be a thrust. You cannot depend on Blut Vene this time. I will release my power and..."

A shadow of the sword and arm of Yhwach appeared under the limb and weapon and the Quincy king stopped shocked. The black shadow got larger and went up his arm.

"This is..." Yhwach muttered as he watched the shadows getting larger.

"It's time, your Majesty. We have reached the time limit for operating outside the Schattenbereich area. Please, allow us to return to the Vandenreich." Haschwalth said, also the shadows appeared underneath him and Eliza who he was still carrying over his shoulder.

"Impossible, we should still have time..." Yhwach said but winced then when he came to realization how this happened. "I see... Sosuke Aizen... this is his doing. In the few minutes we were in contact he managed to disrupt my senses."

The king of the Quincies took a glance over to his blonde subordinate.

"Haschwalth... why did you not inform me of this if you had noticed?"

The blonde Quincy closed his eyes as he replied.

"Even if I were to attempt to stop your majesty, it would have been in vain."

"Fine." Said Yhwach said and was about to turn away from Ichigo. "Let's go."

"NOT SO FAST!" Shouted Ichigo and ran up to him. He couldn't let them leave with Shizuka, he had to save her. Yhwach however turned around to him.

"You really think I'll let you get out of here? After you just shit on Soul Society and trying to kidnap Shizuka? Do you fucks really think I'll let you leave unscathed...!" He said but Yhwach only turned around and went on, something which made Ichigo more enraged.

"Just try and take another step!" He yelled and tried to attack Yhwach from behind but this was when Haschwalth turned around and with a simple movement of his hand made Zangetsu break in two pieces.

"This is goodbye, Kurosaki Ichigo." Yhwach said while looking around to the shocked orange-haired boy. "I had taken for now what I wanted. I shall return for you in the future. Heal your wounds and wait for me. My son, born in the dark."

With this Yhwach disappeared with Haschwalth and Shizuka into nothingness and let Ichigo behind who fell shocked on his knees, right before Zangetsu's other half.

"FUCK THIS SHIT!" He shouted while he put his hands and head on the ground as he fell into depression not being able to save the one he loves most.

For some moments he stayed like this, weeping silently because he was not strong enough to save and protect Shizuka. After some time he sat up again and looked up to the sky while it had started to rain.

From the corners of his eyes he could see a Zanpakuto laying there and stood up to went over to the sheathed katana.

Ichigo noticed it was Shizuka's Zanpakuto which was laying there, Kyuketsuki no Yurei. He sat down in front of it and grabbed the Zanpakuto, leaning his forehead against it.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect her." He muttered as he continued to fall into depression and desperation.

Yhwach and Haschwalth meanwhile had reached the Vandenreich HQ and the Quincy king ordered Haschwalth to bring Shizuka over to one of these prison cells and Haschwalth followed his order and brought the captured shinigami down to the prison cells. Yhwach however made his was to his throne to rest.

Haschwalth already reached the prison cells and put their captive into a free one, putting her in chains. He knew how she would react upon waking up again; confused about the memory lost she would try to get away. Haschwalth was surprised the Amnesia Fist had actually worked on her but the shock to see how a strong ally had been easily killed probably made her prone to surprise attacks.

"Rest for now, Urahara Shizuka. Tomorrow you'll wake up as a new person." Haschwalth said upon leaving. Haschwalth immediately went to his chambers and found an attendant there, waiting for him.

"Welcome back, Haschwalth-sama. I hope you had a very successful mission." The attendant said as Haschwalth closed the door behind himself.

"Indeed, it was a successful mission. We have captured our prey." He said as he sat down on the couch. His eyes went over to the female attendant who was preparing him something to drink.

"I know I have no permission to give a piece of my mind on that case but isn't it too risky to have one of the enemies here?" The attendant asked while Haschwalth looked surprised at her.

"I can share your worry, I also doubt she would cooperate with us even through I have blocked her memories through the amnesia fist. I guess His Majesty will use his own will to make her our ally." Haschwalth explained as the attendant served him tea.

"So you mean he wants to brainwash her?"

"According to His Majesty's actions, I think... yes, he will."


	5. The real Zangetsu

**Chapter V**

**-The real Zangetsu-**

Following Zangetsu's demise a depressed Ichigo visited a wounded Rukia and Renji in the hospital before being summoned to the 12th Division. After Mayuri reveals a broken Bankai can never be fixed, Ichigo witnesses the arrival of the Royal Guard and explained to everyone that Yhwach had taken Shizuka with him. Hearing his desperation the Royal Guard took him to the Soul King Palace in order to reforge his Bankai. After being healed by Tenjiro Kirinji's hot springs and having his power restored and increased by Kirio Hikifune's food, Ichigo travels to Oetsu Nimaiya's palace, where he and Renji are forced to fight the Asauchi – nameless Zanpakuto - in order to have their Zanpakuto reforged. Three days later, Ichigo has failed to defeat the Asauchi and is sent back to the Human World by Nimaiya who had also taken Shizuka's Zanpakuto from him through Ichigo's protest, stating having it around him won't help him to save her. After Ikumi takes him in, Ichigo is found by Isshin, who tells him how he met Masaki and reveals the circumstances surrounding her death.

Remembering what Yhwach had talked with him about.

"_My son, born in the dark..."_

Ichigo looked up to his father in his shinigami form who was looked with a serious expression at him.

"Dad. Thank you." He said and Isshin nodded as both then left. Outside Ichigo met with his former boss and looked surprised at her, not knowing what she did here.

"Ikumi-san?"

"Ah, hey, Ichigo. You forgot something." She said and showed him the substitute shinigami badge. Ichigo looked for a moment at it, remembering what had all happened in his past and for a moment a brightly smiling Shizuka appeared in his mind. Ichigo clutched the badge, promising himself to protect Shizuka from now on, whatever my happens. He once had thought he don't need to protect her because she would scold him otherwise but now Ichigo didn't cared about it, after his father told him his mother's story.

"Thank you, Ikumi-san. Dad, I'm heading out." He went some steps forward until his father called him.

"Oi, Ichigo! I know you wanted to head out, but how do you plan to get there?"

Ichigo then turned around, realizing Isshin was right. He had no idea how to get back to the Soul King Palace to meet Nimaiya again. Then suddenly Mera - one of Nimaiya's guardians – appeared on a cloud behind Ichigo. Ichigo turned to her with a surprised expression while she ignored this.

"Fancy meeting you here! Let's go!" She then surrounded him in the cloud and Ichigo saw for a moment only darkness. "In order to open the Chokaimon that initially sent you there, we need to synchronize the arrival and departure times."

"Ding, ding, ding!" Nimaiya appeared behind Mera who had opened a door to let the light in and Ichigo slowly rose to his feet. "We have a winner! Show me what yer made of, Ichigo- chan. Whenever you're ready, the Asauchi's will be..." However he stopped as he noticed the Asauchi kneeling before Ichigo and the young shinigami then turned around and picked the Asauchi he felt a close bond to. Taking the nameless Zanpakuto's hand the black substance ripped from it and showed the form of his inner Hollow which shocked Ichigo greatly.

"Badass." Nimaiya said, seeing this. "Bring him here. I'll personally forge it for you."

Ichigo, together with his Zanpakuto spirit, returned to Nimaiya who then set up a slide which lead deeper into his palace and kicked Ichigo into it, sending him head down first with his Asauchi.

Ichigo had landed head first into a pool and tried to get out the water out of his throat while Nimaiya laughed at him.

"Hey, ya holding up alright, Ichigo-chan?! Even after I told ya to protect your neck ya went down head first! I really got to see the hero inside of ya!"

"You were the one who had kicked me head-first!" Ichigo shouted enraged as he swiped off the water off his face.

"Check it out, yo!" Nimaiya showed him the deepest part of his palace and grinned while Ichigo was stunned that inside of a building was this much water although he knew that nearly everything was possible in the Soul Society. "Of course there's a reason I have so much water here, yo! No water, no fixin' your Bankai, ya dig?" He turned around to Ichigo who had followed him so far. "Time to see what yer made of, Ichigo-chan. Right here, right now. Ya gotta say sayonara to yer Zangetsu!"

Nimaiya then started to dance and had a similar behavior to Don Kanonji when he was showing off, Ichigo only stared at him in annoyance. Also Nimaiya's team appeared and also stepped on him as they showed off, Ichigo only furrowed his brows looking at them and wondered if they all were still alright in their heads.

"What are ya spacing out for?" Nimaiya looked up from his laying position. "I said y'all. So that includes you, Asauchi." He held out his hand to the Asauchi behind Ichigo and a hole in the chest appeared before it then disappeared into light and landed in front of Nimaiya. Mera used then her skill and breathed fire with which she heated the forge. Ichigo watched in silent admiration how the bodyguards were preparing to forge his Zanpakuto and also Nimaiya took off his jacket and glasses, binding his hair up.

"Time to get busy." He said, looking serious. While he was hitting the Asauchi with a big hammer which changed into something like a blade.

"Yo, Ichigo-chan. Ya know the reason why this Asauchi turned whiter than snow on your touch?"

Ichigo thought for a moment about this but nothing appeared in his mind to answer this question.

"Not really." He replied.

"Didn't somethin' like this run thru that head of yers? It's just like... _the Hollow within me_."

Ichigo gasped for a moment, this was something he had expected, after all he got shocked it looked like him, the Hollow Ichigo who tried to get over his body for some many times. _Shirosaki_, how Shizuka had called him jokingly.

"Bingo, this sexy bastard is right here. He's yer inner Hollow. I made the Asauchi like this, in order to draw out yer Zanpakuto. Ya finally dig? That's Ichigo-chan's Zanpakuto."

Ichigo was unable to answer, the shock had swallowed his voice.

"The Hollow that Aizen artificially made from piling up shinigami souls was named _White_. Oddly enough, that's also how Asauchi are made. This Hollow entered Ichigo-chan and merged with Ichigo-chan's powers. He's Ichigo-chan's true Zanpakuto." Nimaiya explained while not stopping working on Ichigo's Zanpakuto. Ichigo's eyes widen as he finally came to the realization that Hollow bastard had been his Zanpakuto – that was also why he was all the time in his Inner World where usually the Zanpakuto spirit was residing. But he then wondered who the old man was.

"Wait! That means..."

"Bingo, the other dude yer been chillin' with... up until now he's been inside yer soul. That dude's been fakin' the funk. He's just been pretendin' to be yer Zanpakuto." As Nimaiya revealed the truth Ichigo suddenly was taken to his Inner World where the old man which Nimaiya told was a faker was standing in front of him, with his eyes closed and a calm expression.

"Old man... Zangetsu..." Ichigo said surprised seeing him but suddenly Nimaiya's voice echoed in his head.

"_Ichigo-chan, ye know that dude."_

"Of course." Ichigo replied, still wondering if this old man in front of him was a faker. "He's Zange-"

"_Wrong!" _Nimaiya called in his head. _"Try again, look closer. Come on, ye should be able to connect all the dots by now. The dude who's been standing in front of ye, has been tryin' to pull the wool over yer eyes. He's the man who had taken yer girl from ye! That guy ain't no Shinigami power. He's yer Quincy power. That right there is Yhwach, from a thousand years ago!" _

As Nimaiya stopped talking the man who had called himself Zangetsu opened his eyes while in Ichigo's head everything started to realize why Yhwach had looked this familiar to him. He realized that the time when he and Yhwach had crossed blades it felt like back then, when he had tried to get his Bankai when he had been in the Soul Society for the first time. He realized he had tried not to remember how he failed to save Shizuka so he couldn't see the details, how Zangetsu nearly pulled him to Yhwach and how he thought that the man had been his primary enemy. And he remembered also how he got reminded of someone else once he looked into Yhwach's eyes.

From the corner of his eyes Ichigo noticed his world having changed. The sky was pitch black it was raining really strongly, is clothes and hair were already wet from it.

"Zangetsu... explain yourself." Ichigo said, furrowing his brows.

"It is as you were told. In addition, I am not Zangetsu." He said as the skyscrapers started to crush underneath them and fell into water while Ichigo stared at the man who resembled Yhwach so much in shock.

The two of them fell into the water while Ichigo was screaming for him and asked if he really was Yhwach.

"I am and I am not. I am only the manifestation of your Quincy powers. Did you never wondered that whenever your life was in mortal danger it was not me who had saved you, but your Hollow." He replied while Ichigo remembered all what happened and noticed he was truly right, he never saved him, only once, against the fight with Kenpachi.

"I did never wanted you to become an actual shinigami, so I did suppressed your shinigami powers because I feared that if you become one, you'll die by my hands." The man sighed and held out a hand when a burning sword appeared next to him and he looked up to Ichigo. "But you kept on chasing that path, training and overcoming fear and pain and I could feel my heart waver. Before I knew it I was trying to impede your progress, all I wanted is to help you and watch you succeed. Even now, even if it means doing this. I'm more than happy to relinquish my hold over you. Ichigo, you've become very strong. This entire time, standing next to you. I've watched proudly as you became a man. The pride I feel is indescribable. I'm finally at peace."

"Hold on!" Ichigo called while he was about to run over to his Quincy powers manifestation. "Hold on, Zangetsu, I still haven't th-"

But Zangetsu disappeared into the shining sword and left a stunned Ichigo behind who was surprised to see him in the flames of the katana.

"Until now I've suppressed the most of your powers, but now it's the time to see your real powers. This is your real Zangetsu."

Ichigo was about to reach out to the burning sword when suddenly once the manifestation of his Quincy power's voice appeared in his head.

"I'll tell you only one thing more, Ichigo. To save Shizuka, you don't need your Quincy or Shinigami powers. You already have the power you need to save her." The Zangetsu with Quincy powers said.

"W- what?!" Ichigo stopped shocked, the fact this Zangetsu was talking about his girlfriend was making him wonder and his heart again hurt hearing her name. "What kind of power?!"

"Your incredibly strong love for her."

With this a light flashed out of the sword and disappeared, Ichigo on the other hand stayed in his Inner World and noticed that every word of the Zangetsu he thought was his Zanpakuto spirit and the Hollow had been right.

"No, you two... are my Zanpakuto spirit." He muttered as he then pushed off with his foot to return to the surface – to the reality.

There Ichigo stepped next to Nimaiya and put his hand into the fire, ignoring the pain and gripping his Zanpakuto.

"What are you doing?! Your hands will!" Hasuka said shocked but Nimaiya stopped her.

"It hit me, too, but for Ichigo-chan to put in a bit of his soul is good. Draw it out, Ichigo-chan!It's yer Zanpakuto!"

With this Ichigo pulled Zangetsu out and a wave of spiritual energy filled the whole room, the waterfall was also stopped for a moment because of this and then disappeared.

"All the water disappeared." Mera said surprised.

"Have we ever seen this happen?"

"Of course not!"

"Yer sword was so hot with heat and reiatsu... it took an entire sea for it be cool, know what I'm sayin'? Check it, Ichigo-chan. How does it feel to be with those Zangetsus?"

Ichigo stared for a moment at the short and long blade of his Zanpakuto and Ichigo raised his head and also promised his Zanpakuto to never ask him for anything and to fight on his own.

The thing what the Quincy Zangetsu said popped in his head, that he only need the power of love to save Shizuka and neither his Quincy powers or his Shinigami powers.

"That was good! Now let's see if ye can fight with it!" Nimaiya said as Ichigo turned around to him. In his hand appeared a sealed Zanpakuto Ichigo immediately recognized.

"This is..." Ichigo's eyes grew bigger as he saw the Zanpakuto and Nimaiya grinned.

"Right! This is a Zanpakuto, one which never needed to be forged. It's a quite unique one, y'know." Nimaiya drew the Zanpakuto and stroked over the blade. "Wanna know what makes it special? It's been born together with it's owner, it's been born the day Shi-chan had been born, 112 years ago."

"What?" Ichigo never heard how old Shizuka actually was but since he heard from her mother Yui that she had been born in the Soul Society he already figured out she was much more older than him and also realized this when his father told him she had helped his mother to defeat White and also befriended with them. But the fact her Zanpakuto had been born the day she was also surprised him.

"Ye see, I already told you shinigami get their Zanpakuto upon going into the Shin'o Academy but there are a few exceptions, shinigami with special powers. Shi-chan is one of those, Kyuketsuki no Yurei grew up together with her. In the beginning she had only been an invisible manifested Zanpakuto spirit, someone you would consider as an imaginary friend. Once Shi-chan changed into a shinigami for the first time the Zanpakuto spirit became a real Zanpakuto. That's why this one is unique and much more stronger than usual ones – and the perfect partner."

Nimaiya let go of Shizuka's Zanpakuto and it nearly immediately started to be surrounded by a black, dusty spiritual power.

"**Kakusei, Kyuketsuki no Yurei."**

Hearing his command the black dusty substance wrapped around the whole katana before it reached the ground and slowly it changed into a female appearance and in the next moment the usually cranky Kyuketsuki no Yurei was standing in front of Ichigo. Kyuketsuki no Yurei had a small and petite body, reaching to Ichigo's belly. Her hair was deep black and wavy, her eyes blood red. She also had a white skin and sharp canines. Her clothes were similar to those of Dark Rukia, wearing a tattered black kimono with something which resembled a long-collared red cape on her back. She also had a red cloth around her waist and was barefoot, in her hands holding a Labrys (a double-headed axe) made of black steel which was as long as Ichigo.

"Yo, Ichigo." The Zanpakuto spirit said as she looked over to Ichigo who was looking in shock at her. "Why are you looking so shocked at me, it's still me, I'm only not in the appearance of a katana."

She swung around the axe in her hand although the Labrys was looking really heavy.

"What are you waiting for, Ichigo! I'm here to test your skills with your brand new Zanpakuto!"

With an incredible speed Kyuketsuki no Yurei pounced at him and swung the Labrys above her head until the blade of the axe hit Ichigo's, who had raised his both Zanpakuto to block the attack.

"Gh!" Ichigo got surprised how strong Kyuketsuki no Yurei was although she had such a petite and small body.

"Surprised?" The Zanpakuto spirit asked with a big grin on her face. "Well, after all this is the same appearance Shizuka had as a seven years old girl."

"What?" Ichigo asked as he once again blocked Kyuketsuki no Yurei's attack and she smiled wider.

"I am a Vampire Ghost. Vampires are known to stop aging upon changing into one. This had happened with me. I grew as long as I wasn't a real Zanpakuto but stopped once Shizuka's shinigami powers had awakened. Back then they had been triggered when she encountered a Hollow for the very first time while Kisuke hadn't been around. That's why she has got all these nightmares, do you remember? That day had been a trauma for her, it's a surprise she had fought all these years against him and is together with a guy who does have an inner Hollow!" Kyuketsuki no Yurei swung the axe in her hands around again and this time Ichigo stopped her by capturing the stick between the blades of his Zanpakuto.

"When you're her Zanpakuto then you have to know where she is." He said but Kyuketsuki no Yurei only shrugged and pulled her axe out of his Zanpakutos and with a few steps she was behind him and ready to attack but Ichigo jumped into air to dodge.

"Hm, it would be really easy but I can't get the connection to her Inner World which only means one thing; the Quincies have her completely under their control." Kyuketsuki no Yurei said. This was when Ichigo stopped to dodge the Zanpakuto spirit's attack and only looked at her.

"I assure you, I'll save her from them and protect her." He said to her and Kyuketsuki no Yurei smirked.

"This is good, after all was this what she had always wanted." She said and Ichigo looked surprised at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's talk about it somewhere else. First you need to get used to your Zanpakuto, right?" Kyuketsuki no Yurei put the Labrys against her shoulder and looked around to Nimaiya who nodded. The next moment Kyuketsuki no Yurei returned into her katana form and the God of the Sword grabbed the katana sheathed it.

"Yeah, of course! Ichigo-chan, you need some rest from the forging." He said and as he wanted to add something suddenly another person appeared, a woman with long black hair and purple eyes. She was wearing an expensive and beautiful kimono as she approached Ichigo and Nimaiya. Ichigo already recognized the person as Yui Nakamura, Shizuka's mother.

"Congratulations, Ichigo-san!" She said. "I've watched how you forged your Zanpakuto. You've shown quite a lot passion for it."

A smile appeared on her lips as she watched how Ichigo looked at the two blades in his hands which slowly disappeared. She then grabbed Kyuketsuki no Yurei and threw it over to him. With a quick move Ichigo caught the sealed Zanpakuto and looked surprised at Yui.

"You all have done a great work. Now, please go to rest." Yui said, looking to Nimaiya and his bodyguards who grinned.

"Surely, hime-chan!" Nimaiya said and a little, soft smile appeared on Yui's face as she looked around to Ichigo.

"Please follow me, Ichigo-san. It's best to rest in a comfortable place." She said and Ichigo nodded.

Ichigo followed Shizuka's birth mother to a room. The room had a big bed, a table and also a couch. From the big windows Ichigo could see the Palaces of the Royal Guards.

"This room..." Ichigo muttered as he looked around, admiring the expensive-looking furniture a bit.

"The last seventeen months my daughter had lived in this room during her stay here." Yui said as she then told a maid to bring something and went over to the table. "Although she nearly never had used this room for something other except for sleeping or sometimes eating on her own."

"So Shizuka had been here all this time?" Ichigo asked as the maid then came in with tea and some short cakes.

"Yes, indeed." Yui asked. "Actually, I did brought you here to tell you the truth about her origin. See it as a test if your love is strong enough even for shocks." She did pour Ichigo some tea and went over to him. Ichigo had sat down on the bed once he learned that this was Shizuka's room and still gripped Kyuketsuki no Yurei tightly.

"What do you mean?" He asked surprised as he took the tea cup from Yui while the woman sighed.

"How much do you know about her real family, except for me being her mother?" Yui asked as she also took a cup of tea.

"Not much, I only know that she had been taken into Urahara-san's care when she was five." Ichigo replied and Yui nodded.

"This is right. But I guess she didn't mentioned her father once she returned, right?" Her question was confirmed when Ichigo nodded and Yui gripped her tea cup tighter.

"My husband... her father... is Sosuke Aizen." Yui said and watched with slight amuse how Ichigo reacted, he nearly spit out his tea again and his eyes seemed to nearly fall out as he looked at her with shock.

"Y-you married Aizen?!" He asked shocked and Yui chuckled upon noticing his first reaction was considering her being Aizen's wife.

"I did, but I have to say we loved each other a lot. Maybe not with such an unusual strong love like you and Shizuka, but still. You know, Sosuke did love our daughter a lot and she did the same. No day passed where she wasn't clinging to him, sometimes even I got jealous she loved him more." Yui chuckled remembering this. "But once I found out about his plans I knew he would intervene Shizuka into this. I didn't stopped him but also didn't supported him, I couldn't do that because of my role. Also I was afraid my daughter would become a very fearful enemy so I decided to bring her far away from Sosuke's reach. Back then Urahara-san was exiled and was about to leave with all them so I searched for them and begged him to take her with him so Sosuke couldn't turn her against the shinigami. I did regret my decision a bit. I wouldn't see her again for many, many years and Sosuke got depressed – at least it had a good site, he couldn't do his experiments on the souls for some time."

Ichigo heard how sad Yui was sounding and remembering how suddenly his mother disappeared out of his life because Grand Fisher killed her. This made him realize how Shizuka felt back then.

"Wasn't she sad back then, too?"

"Probably, but I've altered her memory so she would think she ran away from home and tried to take all memories of her parents from her. I heard from Urahara-san she was first hesitant to warm up to them but in the end she started to see them as their family so it worked out in the end and she totally forgot us." Yui said.

"So she's his daughter, huh? No wonder she was looking like him." Ichigo muttered while Yui looked surprised at him.

"You're not shocked by this?" She asked but Ichigo shook his head.

"No, she stays Shizuka after all. She won't change because of that." Ichigo replied and heard Yui chuckling. He gazed up to Shizuka's mother who held her hand before her mouth while she giggled. Ichigo remembered how Yhwach talked about some power inside of Shizuka and decided to ask Yui about this – even if the woman wouldn't tell her about this.

"Yhwach talked about a hidden power inside of her. What did he mean?"

"Well, what he said. A hidden, sealed power inside of her. Every member of the Royal Family posses a signature skill, the Soul King – my brother – does even posses several." Yui explained to him. "If they really wanted her for her power... then it's not good." She added.

Ichigo was only silently sitting there, working out the things he learned about his girlfriend but somehow he wasn't shocked. This only raised his determination to save and protect her, because she was special in any way.

"Yui-san... I promise I'll bring her back." He said and Yui smiled hearing that from him as she nodded.

"I know. I have faith in you, Ichigo-san. But you have to consider that the Quincies captured her to take control over her powers. I don't think they might break the seal... but they might make her fighting for them. So please watch out." Yui added and Ichigo looked down on his own feet. He knew that this was dangerous and his constant worry was making him sick, but he knew partially how to save her through Quincy Zangetsu's hint.

"Yeah, I know."

Meanwhile Yhwach was watching how his SternRitter were releasing their Quincy: Vollständig from his throne in the Vandenreich HQ. He had released the Spirit Particles around the Seireitei and showed the buildings of the Vandenreich.

Haschwalth approached him with a slightly bow.

"Your Majesty, the procedure had finally stopped." He said while Yhwach got an amused expression and looked around to him.

"Yes? Then show me the result." Yhwach said and stood up to see the person who had appeared behind Haschwalth. Clothed totally in Quincy garb in white with an expressionless face and eyes without any sign of emotion Shizuka stepped forwards and knelt down in front of Yhwach.

"Your Majesty." She said upon seeing Yhwach approaching her who looked with a satisfied expression at her.

"Very well, it seems like everything worked out just like I wanted." He said. "You're a Special SternRitter with the name Henker _(eng. executioner)_. Your goal is to exterminate all shinigami."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"It's a pity that strong power is sealed with a strong seal which even I can't break." Yhwach said. "Now, prepare for fighting. I want to see your use as one of the SternRitter."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

As Yhwach raised his hand also the Henker raised herself on her feet and turned around to move out of the room, followed by Haschwalth. Yhwach however returned to his throne and with a smile he sat down.

"This might work out. Now I can also get Kurosaki Ichigo easily into my hands."


	6. Reishi Particles Manipulation

**Chapter VI**

**-Reishi Particles Manipulation- **

"ORAH!" With a determinative yell Ichigo made his way to the platform from which he would travel down to the Soul Society and try to save Shizuka. He had already changed his clothing to travel more easily, three hours had passed since ever he received his true Zanpakuto.

"We're good to go! You dot all your I's and cross all your T's, Ichigo?!" Tenjiro Kirinji shouted as he looked around to Ichigo who walked together with his new Zanpakuto and additional Shizuka's to the platform.

"Yeah!" Ichigo said but then looked surprised around when he noticed the column which brought him to the Soul King Palace wasn't here anymore. He then started to look around for it but still couldn't see it anywhere.

"What? Whatcha lookin' fer?"

"That thing? You know, that pole we rode on when we came here." Ichigo said and made a gesture to show Tenjiro what he was meaning.

"We ain't got it. Yer takin' the scenic route back." He replied and then looked over to Senjumaru Shutara.

"What?!" Ichigo asked puzzled but Tenjiro ignored him.

"Senjumaru! The stairs!"

Senjumaru only made a humph before she put her staff into the ground and long spiral stairs appeared out of the platform, going far down.

"I dun mind sendin' ya down by that pillar, but it ain't somethin' we can keep usin' on a whim. So yer gonna have to go down the good old fashion way. It ain't much of a walk! Go at yer normal peace and... you should get there in about a week."

Fearing Ichigo might overreact Tenjiro raised his hand before his face but was surprised Ichigo actually reacted the other way.

"Got it. It should be all right."

"Are ye sure ye wanna do that?" Tenjiro asked while Ichigo looked surprised around to him.

"You said that it'll take this long. If I'll need a week in my normal pace then I'll go at breakneck speed so I'll only need half a day."

"Haha, like it seems you have regained your composure." Ichibei arrived and grinned at Ichigo. "Still, you should go on because the Quincy had started their attack three hours ago!"

"What?!" Ichigo shouted shocked and without hesitating he jumped down into the spiral stairs and even didn't bothered to use his own legs.

He then heard Hikifune shouting from up there and looked around as she threw a packaged rice ball at him and he grabbed it, thanking her as he continued to fall down. He then grabbed a communicator to call Kisuke and was glad the shinigami answered his call. He told Ichigo how much he'll need to come back to the Soul Society. Kisuke on the other side nodded as he noticed that it was quite a long time in which Ichigo would only be traveling.

"I see. Understood, take care." Kisuke said. Ichigo then was silent for a moment before he begged Kisuke not to interfere in the battles until he'll arrive and Kisuke agreed on it.

"But, Urahara-san... if Shizuka will appear there. Please try to stop her." Ichigo said, remembering what Yui had told him about the Quincy might have made her fighting for them and told Kisuke about this who sighed on the other side.

"Of course I will. Don't worry about this, Kurosaki-san." Kisuke replied and Ichigo smirked and stopped the call. He pulled then the cloth over his eyes and rocketed then towards the Soul Society.

Kisuke looked for a moment at the cell phone in his hand, happy how Ichigo had developed in such a short time but he was also feeling down. Once he got to know his adoptive daughter got abused by Yhwach he got strongly worried, he had the feeling he failed at his job as a father being not able to protect his daughter. He went some steps on until he could take a look outside and saw that slowly some buildings of the Vandenreich were collapsing. he was trying to recreate the Seireitei and make the Vandenreich vanish but right now it was still a difficult task because the mechanics of the 12th Division had disappeared. Feeling a reiatsu behind him Kisuke turned around and found Yui standing here.

"Oh, Yui-san, you scared me." He said while the woman smiled.

"Why? Did you expected me to be a Quincy? I thought you should know who I am because of my reiatsu." She said and approached Kisuke. "Did Ichigo-san told you how long he'll need to get here?"

"Yes, he did." Kisuke said. "He called me not so long before."

"I see. He had developed a lot in the time he had spent in the Soul King Palace." Yui said and smiled as she remembered his expression when she told him about her daughter. He had reacted very positively, a sign that he truly does love Shizuka.

"Urahara-san... I think I still haven't thanked you for taking my daughter in." She said while Kisuke only looked at her in surprise.

"Oh, you don't have to thank me for this. I really appreciate and enjoy Shizuka-chan being around me." Kisuke said with a smile. He really did enjoy having Shizuka around him, since ever he took her from Yui and brought her together with the Visored to the Human World.

"This is nice to hear. Also that you have helped to train her shinigami powers." Yui said but Kisuke only raised his hand as a sign that it was nothing.

Yui only smiled seeing how he reacted and remembered that she actually wanted to go to the 1st Division barracks to ask someone what Yhwach told him. She left the room with a nod and made her way to the former 1st Division barracks, feeling the reiatsu of Shunsui Kyoraku and his lieutenant Nanao Ise and also the reiatsu of a Quincy. Not wanting to interrupt their battle she made her way down, she knew there still was the prison in which her husband was sitting for the next 20 thousand years.

Aizen seemingly had felt her coming here as he showed no surprise when she appeared in front of him. He was still bound by the reiatsu-sealing bandages and Yui saw a smile when she approached her husband with whom she had lived for so long.

"Well, well, who would have thought you'll appear down here." He said amused while Yui only sighed.

"You sure know why I'm here." She said. "Dear... what did Yhwach told you?"

"He only invited me to take part in his Special War Powers, nothing else. Why are you asking?" Aizen replied while Yui sunk her head. She thought Yhwach would have told him something important but like it seemed he had no intention to do so. She wondered if she should tell him about Eliza.

"Seireitei currently had vanished and instead there's the Vandenreich standing. I feat that this will stay like this." She said while Aizen chuckled.

"Who would have thought, only some months after they managed to defeat me they are going to be exterminated." He said amused while Yui sighed.

"This is not funny now, Sosuke. Yhwach had taken Shizuka with him." She said and finally noticed how her husband winced. With a little satisfied smile she noticed how he got troubled because of this.

"How did that happen?"

"I guess it was because Shingekuni Yamamoto had been killed so easily by Yhwach so she dropped her guard out of shock." Yui said. "But still, I plan on fighting this time, too."

"Are you sure?"

"I am. Because our daughter is among them, even though there's a person who can save her I have to protect her at least." Yui said. "Well then, I have to go. The Soul Society is being under attack right now so I have to help."

"Take care." Aizen only replied as Yui turned around. The woman smiled upon hearing this from her husband and walked on, leaving the prison.

Outside she felt an intimidation reiatsu coming from above and jumped up into the air, making a roll in mid-air and then landed safely on the ground while behind her the ground was crashed and a Quincy came out of it in his Quincy: Vollständig, looking with a grin at her.

"I thought I've felt a strong reiatsu here. But this is only a woman." He said. It was a weird Quincy, with long, dark hair, which is arranged into five fanned-out spikes, and unusual teeth which alternate between black and white. The rest of his upper facial features, including his eyes, are covered by a smooth mask with a reflective surface.

"What, you're only being surprised because I'm a woman? Then you have really poor senses." Yui said as she turned around to him. "I'm Yui Nakamura, you?"

"NaNaNa Najahkoop." He replied and Yui chuckled. "What are you laughing at, woman!?"

"Your name and your appearance is just weird." She said. "But well, I don't care as long as you're strong enough to keep up with me."

"What does that mean, woman?!" NaNaNa shouted angrily and was about to attack Yui but she easily dodged his attack. With her hand she grabbed his weapon easily and the impact made the place around them burst.

"What I meant. I might not be a shinigami but still I have enough experience in battle." Saying this, she released a great mass of her own reiatsu which seemingly made her enemy shudder and he supposedly stared in shock at her.

"You're not a shinigami but have such a great reiatsu... how is this possible?" He shouted while Yui only smiled.

"I'm a member of the Royal Family, this is usual for us." She said and then didn't bothered anymore to talk with him, she only attacked him with kicks and punches. NaNaNa seemed to have problems to dodge her attacks but somehow managed it to get out. Seeing how he tried to create a weapon out of reishi Yui smiled and then concentrated to collect her reiatsu and with a movement of her hand the reishi particles around NaNaNa disappeared and instead the ones around her duplicated. The Quincy first seemed to be disturbed because he couldn't manifest the weapon.

This made an opening and Yui used the chance to attack him. She kicked him in the stomach and then made a high kick up into his chin. With a move aside she grabbed his leg and threw him over her shoulder, crashing her leg into his back and destroying the ground underneath him.

"I must say, you really are strong, even through you're wearing this kimono." He said while Yui smiled as she went some steps back and grabbed the fabric of her kimono.

"Well, to say, this kimono is limiting my movements." She said and ripped the kimono off her body. Underneath she was wearing a dark red chinese top and black leggings with chinese shoes. "I guess now I can go full out."

Yui leapt forward to NaNaNa who got back on his feet and tried to dodge her attack but Yui was faster using Shunpo and put her leg around his neck, turning him around in mid-air and nearly broke his neck as he landed on the ground.

"You goddamn Martial Artist!" He shouted angrily while Yui only smiled as she was about to attack him again but the Quincy dodged this time. "You really pissed me off! Time for you to taste my **Quincy: Vollständig**!"

As he was about to change into the form Yui took all the reishi particles from around him and so his Vollständig only appeared for a moment before it then disappeared, following that there were no reishi particles he could use to change into the form.

"What?!" NaNaNa shouted angrily while Yui only smiled.

"I'm sorry, I've forgotten to mention my powers. I am actually capable to control the reishi particles in the atmosphere. I did took all from the place around you so you won't be able to use your Quincy: Vollständig. You did really made a mistake to attack me." She explained and then raised her arm.

"**Bakudo #61; Rikujokoro!" **She shouted as she pointed her finger at her target and a spark of light generated which summoned six thin, wide beams of light which slammed into his body and hold him in place.

"What the hell...?!"

"Good thing I'm also capable to use Kido." Yui said and then put her one hand over her stretched arm. **"Hado #88; Hiryu Gekizoku Shinten Raiho!"**

With this Yui fired a gigantic beam of electrical and spiritual energy which created an enormous explosion upon impact while NaNaNa screamed in pain upon being touched by the attack.

"Farewell, NaNaNa Najahkoop. I really hope you will never forgive me this." She said as the body of the Quincy got visible again and totally burned fell to the ground. Sensing the reiatsu of the other captains Yui decided then to go and take a look if anyone was in a disadvantage against the Quincy.


	7. The Henker

**Chapter VII**

**-The Henker-**

After falling down for around a half day through the hole in the middle of the staircase Ichigo finally got to see the Soul Society underneath him, or better say, the Seireitei which had changed it's look after the Vandenreich HQ had appeared.

"Somewhere down there... is Shizuka." He muttered as he turned around to land safely on his feet instead of on his head.

Ichigo could feel the reiatsu of his allies who were fighting with all their might against the Quincy and decided to help them as much as he could the moment he finally landed on the ground. The impact of his arrival was creating a huge shock-wave which destroyed a lot of buildings and Ichigo looked around. Everything did changed in here, Ichigo didn't recognized anything at all but he decided to follow Kisuke's reiatsu and moved as fast as he could over there to meet up with him. On his way he could see a lot of rubble and corpses, just like the first time the Vandenreich had invaded the Seireitei. He squinted his eyes as he then finally reached a building which supposedly was once the Shinigami Research and Development Institute.

He did only a few steps in there as an explosion close occurred and he was surprised to feel Yui's reiatsu, wondering when did she get here since she had been in the Soul King Palace when he left.

Finally Ichigo reached the room where Kisuke was and the shinigami raised his head in surprise.

"Oh, Kurosaki-san. Welcome back." He said with a smile upon recognizing Ichigo underneath all his new clothing. "You know, I barely recognized you underneath all this clothes."

"I know, I know." Ichigo said. "Urahara-san... how's the condition of Soul Society?"

"Right now it's a good thing, even through the Quincies released their Quincy: Vollständig." Kisuke said, hiding his face behind his fan. "Nakamura-san is helping out a lot, but the Quincies are in superior number and it's also not very good to underestimate them."

"I see. Did Shizuka..." Kisuke shook his head before Ichigo could end his sentence.

"Until now I haven't noticed anything at all. Even through this is the Vandenreich HQ I still can't feel her reiatsu."

Hearing the worry in Kisuke's voice Ichigo only nodded.

"I'll get her back, Urahara-san. I promise." He said and Kisuke smirked hearing this and nodded.

"I know this. I guess she also does believe in you saving her." He said. "Now, you should go and take a look. I guess there are some low-class shinigami around so try to take them into a safe place." Kisuke said as Ichigo was about to head out.

"Yeah, surely." Ichigo said before he dashed off, back the way he came. Ichigo found some low-class shinigami nearly immediately, under them Ryunosuke and Shino.

"Hey there!" He said as he landed next to him.

"Oh, Ichigo-san, good you've arrived!" Ryunosuke said, running up to him. He had some scratches and also was bleeding from some of them.

"You alright?" He asked worried as Ryunosuke was about to say something but Shino stopped him.

"Wait, Ryunosuke. We should say it an other way!" She shouted. She also had got some bad injuries and Ichigo wondered what she meant with this.

"What do you mean, Shino?" He asked but heard then screams from behind him as supposedly some of the low-class shinigami were killed.

This was when Ichigo felt the reiatsu. The reiatsu he knew best because it was the whole time around him.

Slowly he turned around and found a female figure standing above a pile of shinigami corpses. With emotionless eyes Shizuka looked down at Ichigo, having no expression on her face and wearing Quincy garb.

"Shizuka..." He muttered shocked as she then went down from the pile of corpses and made her way up to the remaining shinigami. Ichigo noticed the Quincy garb had some blood stains on it. Ichigo thought he was going to attack him but instead Shizuka used Shunpo and Ichigo heard screams behind him again, turning around he saw how she again killed other shinigami, only Ryunosuke and Shino who were standing close to Ichigo were alright.

Shizuka turned around again and walked up to them and Ichigo quickly drew both Zangetsu and held them before Ryunosuke and Shino so Shizuka wouldn't attack. She also stopped before them and looked without any emotion at him, probably searching for an opening.

"What had happened to you?" Ichigo said shocked. "What did they do to you?"

Shizuka however didn't replied and raised her arms. A bow of reishi and an reishi arrow appeared in her hands and Ichigo quickly pushed the two low-class shinigami behind him and put his blades up for defense but as Shizuka was about to shoot her hands started to tremble and she made a strained face, as if she was fighting deep down against it. With a small hiss she let both Quincy weapons disappear and ran off using Shunpo. Ichigo quickly told Ryunosuke and Shino to find a safe place to hide before he started to follow Shizuka. He was surprised how fast she was but noticed he could follow her easily but also felt a force leading him there where she was going and without even checking he knew it was Kyuketsuki no Yurei who was leading him.

Soon he got to see her and tried to move his legs faster to reach her. Finally he was able to grab the hem of the dress she was wearing and tried to pull her back but Shizuka nearly kicked him. As she looked in his eyes she hissed once again before pulling her leg back and instead ripped his hold off and went on, faster than before.

"Wait!" Ichigo shouted but Shizuka still went on and didn't stopped. She only stopped as she reached a Quincy Ichigo did recognize. It was the one who had broken his Tensa Zangetsu.

Shizuka did land next to him and told him something and Haschwalth looked up.

"Oh, so soon to see you again, shinigami?" He asked but didn't sounded surprised at all. Feeling anger that he broke his Zanpakuto and also took away his girlfriend and turned her against him Ichigo drew his Zanpakutos and tried to attack him. Haschwalth however was agile enough to dodge Ichigo's attack and appeared behind him.

"Still not fast enough." Haschwalth said.

"I don't fuck a shit about this!" Ichigo shouted enraged as he took a look over to Shizuka who still stood without any expression or emotion in her face there. Her emotionless was making his heart pain as he bit down his teeth seeing her like this as he continued to attack Haschwalth.

As Ichigo tried to attack him he felt the explosion next to him and out of the rubble appeared Yui who looked surprised at him. She was stroking over her cheek which got a bleeding scratch. Yui also wasn't wearing her kimono anymore, she was wearing chinese clothing.

The woman looked over to Ichigo in surprise and then took a glance over to Shizuka and her eyes widen.

"Shizuka..." She muttered as she went up again. Haschwalth only looked at the Royal Family member and then made a sign with his hand while looking at Shizuka.

"Henker, you know what you have to do." He said and Shizuka then leapt forward at her mother without any hesitation and attacked her – unlike when she tried to attack Ichigo where she was trembling or looking stressed. Shizuka jumped into the air and made a roll mid-air while attacking her mother from up. Yui quickly raised her arms and crossed them above her head to guard against Shizuka's powerful attack whose impact destroyed the surrounding.

"You shouldn't look away while fighting." Ichigo then heard from right next to him and looked around in shock. There was Haschwalth charging at him and Ichigo was fast enough to raise his blades to protect himself from the attack. While he fought he could feel a weird sensation deep in his chest and he wondered what was going on until he realized that this was coming from Kyuketsuki no Yurei. He knew this feeling, she wanted to get reunited with her owner but Ichigo knew this wouldn't be good if he would do that. Even through Shizuka looked right now like she wouldn't be able to commence something with her katana. The attacked Haschwalth several times but still it didn't seemed like he was being serious about fighting, probably because he still thought Ichigo was weak as back then, when he attacked Yhwach to try to get Shizuka back who seemingly got brainwashed by them. Haschwalth then stopped and looked at something in his pocket. As he found it he made a sign to Shizuka who then stopped attacking Yui and returned back to Haschwalth through Shunpo.

"For now, we'll stop the attack. But you should know that we will return to invade the Soul Society further." He said and then he and Shizuka – who was looking at Ichigo – disappeared. Ichigo only stood there and then went over to Yui who was sitting on the ground and wiped off the blood from her mouth corner.

"Are you alright, Yui-san?" He asked and she nodded as she let Ichigo help her up and looked up to him with sad eyes.

"Yes, but I guess I was right with my presumption that they had made her fight for them." She muttered and Ichigo only watched his girlfriend's mother who had gotten quite a beating from her daughter but Ichigo knew why; Yui probably wasn't able to hurt Shizuka because she was her daughter.

"Yeah. Let's return to Urahara-san for now, I bet the others will be there, too." Ichigo said and together with the hurt Yui he returned to the former 12th Division barracks where – just as he thought – everyone else was. Including Renji and Rukia.

"Oh, Ichigo!" Rukia said once she saw him. "So you're back, too?"

"Yeah." Ichigo said as he then finally sat on the ground. Nearly all the captains and the lieutenants were here and got healed by the 4th Division just like Yui who got really badly beaten.

"I've felt Shizuka-chan's reiatsu. Did you saw her?" Asked Shinji who had sat next to her. He knew quite good how close Ichigo and Eliza were, after all he had witnessed how even Ichigo's Hollow had tried to defend her as Hiyori attacked Shizuka during his training to get control over this Hollow.

"Yeah. Brainwashed and under control of those damn SternRitter." Ichigo replied and sighed. "I guess taking her back will be really difficult."

"Don't let your head hanging. You've gotten your true Zanpakuto now, you should be able to do this." Shinji said. "Although the situation is futile right now, with your new-found powers we can win."

Ichigo didn't responded him and only looked at all those people who were treated, wondering what Shizuka was doing right now.

Following Ichigo's thought Shizuka as the Henker did arrived at the for her assigned room in the Vandenreich HQ and wondered why she couldn't attack that orange-haired boy. One of the attendants appeared and the Henker looked around.

"Henker-san, Your Majesty is calling you." The female attendant said and so Henker made her way to Yhwach's throne room. The door was opened and so she could go through the door and saw the King of the Quincies sitting on his throne. She knelt before him to show her respect.

"Your Majesty." She said. "You called."

"Indeed I did. I heard from Haschwalth you were unable to attack Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I was. I am terribly sorry."

"I think I know why. I have tried to delete all those useless emotions stored inside of you while you were brainwashed into a new person by us. However, I couldn't delete the feelings of you, that's why you weren't capable to hurt Kurosaki Ichigo who was your beloved." Yhwach explained while still not moving from his throne. "So I have another quest for you, Henker. Because you are not capable to hurt nor attack Kurosaki Ichigo then hide all of your reiatsu and bring him here. Make a trap so he will follow you here without the others."

"I will, Your Majesty." Henker replied and stood out when Yhwach made a sign with his hand for do so and so she raised to her feet and for the first time caught a glimpse on Yhwach's successor who was looking at her with great shock. Not trying to bother she waited until Yhwach told her to retreat to her room for now and bowed before walking off.

In her room she waited until it was deepest night to fulfill her order. While she waited she was wondering about Yhwach's words about her being in love with Kurosaki Ichigo and noticed that she felt relieved for a moment when she saw his face.

As soon as the moon showed between the clouds Henker stood up and went to fulfill the order she got from Yhwach.

Ichigo was meanwhile sleeping after thinking a lot about what happened and that he might not have the powers to save his girlfriend and never be able to be together with her which made his heart ache. He found himself in his Inner World which still was dark and rainy and he couldn't see his two Zanpakuto spirit anywhere until he felt a presence behind himself and looked around. There was Quincy Zangetsu standing.

"Oh, Zan-"

"You wonder why it rains in here and why it got so dark? I told you once, this world can reflect your feelings. Your desperation not being able to save Shizuka had made it rain and the depression not being strong enough made the whole place pitch black. You have to gain back your self-confidence, Ichigo!" He said and Ichigo looked surprised at him.

"Zangetsu..." With this words Ichigo woke up when he got something in his side and noticed it was someone's foot. Some of the shinigami were sleeping to get some rest before more battles and so also Ichigo slept in who hadn't get a good sleep in some hours. With a little sigh considering that was Zangetsu told him Ichigo rose to his feet and then made his way outside. Standing on the top of the stairs he looked over the whole place and was surprised that not so long ago this place was filled with sounds of war; now it was quiet and peaceful, almost as if never something happened.

He took a deep breathe as he then noticed a presence close by and looked around. On the bottom of the stairs stood Shizuka, gazing up to him.

"Shizuka." Ichigo gasped and made his way down to her. She instead didn't moved at all and only stared at Ichigo. "What are you doing here?"

Shizuka opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something but closed it then again. She only turned around and then started to dash off the moment when Ichigo was about to grab her arm.

"Wait!" Ichigo shouted. "I said wait, Shizuka!"

He started to follow her again, not giving up this time. He would catch her and try to get her back to her senses.

Shizuka stopped by a big staircase and looked around to Ichigo who then arrived there, too. He stopped surprised before her.

"Shizuka, what's going on?" He asked but she didn't said anything. She did only opened her mouth.

"I'm... sorry..." She got out before Ichigo felt a hard hit on his neck and everything around him turned dark for a moment.

"Well done." Haschwalth appeared and had grabbed Ichigo who got unconscious. "He did truly let his guard down. What a bad idea."

With Ichigo having been caught the SternRitter and Henker returned back to the Vandenreich HQ, putting Ichigo into a jail and chaining his feet and arms. Haschwalth also took his Zanpakutos from him and placed them on the wall in front of the cell. Then he ordered Henker to guard the cell so no one would appear and try to free him or watch out he won't try to get his Zanpakutos.

Haschwalth then left and let Henker alone standing there in front of the cell, having her back turned to the shinigami behind her.


	8. Regaining senses?

**Chapter VIII**

**-Regaining senses?-**

"Yo." Once Ichigo woke up in his Inner World again instead of the two Zangetsus Kyuketsuki no Yurei greeted him with a calm expression. Ichigo figured out she was only acting aggressively during fights. Just like a mix of Aizen and Kenpachi.

"How did you get in here?" Ichigo asked surprised and his eyes widen. "Where are Zangetsu?"

"They gave me some time to talk to you here. You shouldn't wonder how I got here, after all my owner's soul is connected to your own. That's why I also can show up in your Inner World and the two Zangetsu can also show up in Shizuka's Inner World. Understand?" Kyuketsuki no Yurei explained and went up to him, dragging the axe. "You've got quite a plain Inner World. Only consisting of water and buildings."

"Yeah, how does Shizuka's Inner World look like?" Ichigo asked and Kyuketsuki no Yurei chuckled.

"Believe me, you don't want to know it." She said. "But that wasn't why I have summoned you here. Back then, when you have tried out your two new Zangetsus I told you we'll talk somewhere else, right?"

"Uh, yeah." Ichigo said, faintly remembering something like that.

"You don't remember, huh? That doesn't matter anymore, I only wanted to tell you something." She said. "I was born the day Shizuka was born. I grew up with her. I know you and Zangetsu as good as she does. I know her deepest feelings. You are the only person who can make her very happy but you did also made her depressed some times, when you have protected others. She got jealous, y'know. But still she has got a lot of faith in you and I guess she believes you're strong enough to save her. Also I think... with your current power you'll be able to save her from Yhwach's brainwash."

"She was jealous?" Ichigo asked surprised while Kyuketsuki no Yurei only grinned.

"You really are a fool not noticing something. It's usual that a girl who is so madly in love with a guy will get jealous once that guy risks his life so many times to safe and protect other girls." Kyuketsuki no Yurei rubbed her chin, as if she wondered if she should add something. "I know she'll kill me for telling you this, but I don't care. She thought sometimes you think better of the other girl so that's why you don't wanted to protect her. She also thought sometimes you were sick of her, mostly during these seventeen months. She was really crazy thinking that, but nonetheless it made her cry." She sighed. "So I'll tell you, carrot hair, make her cry again and I'll drag you over to her Inner World and show you some real horror." A slightly sadistic and devilish grin appeared on her face and Ichigo furrowed his brows. But somehow he started to feel guilty hearing this.

"I see." He said, disturbed by the sudden sadistic grin of Kyuketsuki no Yurei. Ichigo really got guilty hearing this, he never knew Shizuka had such thoughts but that explained why she was feeling down whenever he had such determination to save Rukia, Orihime, Rurichiyo, Senna or Nozomi.

"Now, it's time to wake up. I guess you won't have another chance to get her back than this one."

Confused Ichigo opened his eyes and sat then up, remembering he had followed Shizuka and then fell unconscious because something hit him.

He sat abruptly up only to notice his feet and hands were chained.

"Huh?" He struggled to get free but noticed they were quite strong so only looked around and noticed Shizuka standing in front of the cell, probably guarding it.

"Shizuka... did you lured me?" He asked but she didn't replied. Shizuka only looked around to him a bit and then looked away again. Ichigo moved closer to the cell door and somehow managed it to grab Shizuka's hand through the cell with his chained hands.

"Well, I'm happy you're alright at least." He said and smiled a little looking up to her while Shizuka moreover looked surprised at him but then got her expressionless face back. Ichigo remembered what Zangetsu told him how to get her back – through his love, but Ichigo wasn't really sure if this will even help because of her brainwash.

"I was really worried about you all the time when you got taken away by Yhwach." Ichigo said. "I thought I won't see you again anymore."

He looked up to her again and saw her looking at him with slight curiosity, as if she wanted to tell him to tell her more.

"I don't think you can remember this anymore... but Kyuketsuki no Yurei – your Zanpakuto – had told me something about you. You were jealous because I have protecting others with so much passion, only not you. I'm sorry for this. I'm really sorry. I didn't planned this. When we'll get out, then-"

However Ichigo couldn't end his sentence as Shizuka's hand slowly and trembling gripped around his own.

"I... chi... go..."

He looked up to her and noticed that even through she was having that emotionless face there were tears running down her cheeks. Ichigo then remembered what Zangetsu and Kyuketsuki no Yurei said, to save her with his love. So Ichigo let his heart decide and stood up. His hand let go of Shizuka's who in surprise turned her head to him.

"Don't cry. I never liked seeing you cry." He said and tried to wipe off the tears with his cuffed hands. "I know I haven't told you this in quite some time now; so listen. I love you."

Saying this Ichigo somehow managed it to get his face through the steel bars and pressed his lips on Eliza's who was still trembling – probably fighting against the control of the brainwash.

"I... chi... go?" She asked once his lips parted hers. Shizuka was still trembling and looked like she didn't knew what was going on. Ichigo opened his mouth to tell her to try to get out of the control of Yhwach as he heard steps and Shizuka turned around again and let go of him.

"Hey, Henker, we're having a meal so go over there. You have to eat, too." It was a Vandenreich soldier who appeared and looked with a nauseating expression at Ichigo. "What, trying to bring her back? It's impossible, Your Majesty's brainwash is the strongest ever."

He laughed as he gripped Ichigo's orange hair and pulled him up. "I hear you're half Quincy and half shinigami. What a disgrace."

"So what? Still better than being such an coward asshole Quincy." Ichigo replied with a grin and the soldier hit his head against the bars and Ichigo's forehead started to bleed.

"What did you said, you flame brain? Did your traitorous mother not told you how to behave?"

Hearing him talking bad about Masaki Ichigo got angry and he hissed.

"Stop talking about her like that!" He shouted.

"I'm talking about people the way I just like!" The soldier answered and hit Ichigo's head several times against the bars until the blood was running down Ichigo's face.

As he was about to hit Ichigo's head one more time against the bars but a hand which gripped his shoulder stopped him.

"What are you doing, Henker?" The soldier asked and looked around to her.

"Not... touch." She got out while the soldier looked surprised at her.

"What are you talking about? Don't tell me the brainwash isn't working anymore." He asked while Shizuka squeezed his shoulder more and Ichigo could hear a snap as she broke the soldier's shoulder.

"Argh! Henker, are you stupid? What are you doing?!"

"Let... go." Shizuka muttered.

"Huh?"

Shizuka raised her free hand and a sword of reishi appeared in her hand. With a fast movement she cut off the soldier's arm which was still holding Ichigo's hair.

"Argh!" The soldier grabbed his arm which was bleeding and stared at Shizuka with shock.

"Did you have gotten insane?" He asked and was about to draw his own weapon but Shizuka was faster and cut off his head.

The man fell then to the ground while Shizuka looked again without any emotion at him. She then lean forward and took something from the Vandenreich soldier's pockets. She took something which looked like a bunch of keys and threw it over to Ichigo.

"Go." She said as the bunch of keys landed in Ichigo's lap and he somehow managed to unlock the handcuffs and shackles and opened the cell doors.

"You are coming, too." He said and grabbed her arm but Shizuka shook her head as she shook his hand off.

"Stay." She furrowed her brows and Ichigo knew she was struggling to talk because of the control. He was refusing to go without her but grabbed her both hands and put his forehead against her.

"I'll come and get you, just wait for me." He said and stroked over her cheek while Shizuka froze on the spot. "Try not to kill any of the shinigami, okay?"

Ichigo leaned forward and gave her a quick smooch on the lips although he wanted to kiss her more but was suppressing his need and grabbed his two Zanpakutos and then looked at Kyuketsuki no Yurei, wondering if he should let it here or take it with him but in the end he grabbed it and made his way out, trying to kill his presence and hide his reiatsu. Somehow Ichigo managed it to sneak past all the low-ranked soldier of the Vandenreich as all SternRitter were out of the HQ. Ichigo quickly ran to the closest one he could feel, thinking over how to break his girlfriend free of the control of Yhwach.

"Ichigo!" He heard as he jumped from one building to another and looked down. There was Renji standing, looking up to him. He seemingly had used his new Bankai and in front of him was a really tall and muscular man with a lot minions.

"Yo." Ichigo jumped down next to him while Renji looked at him with surprise.

"Don't 'yo' me. You had been away for around half a day! Where have you been?" Renji asked while Ichigo only shrugged.

"I had something really urgent to do." Ichigo replied as he then drew his two Zanpakuto. "But now I'm here."

He took off and with a jump he got over another building and landed in front of a SternRitter.

"Oh, how did you escape?" It was one with a long mohawk.

"You shouldn't care about this!" Ichigo answered and attacked him with his Zanpakuto while the SternRitter raised his weapon made of reishi and dodged his attack.

"How rude, you should introduce yourself first! I'm Bazz-B!"

"Ichigo Kurosaki." Ichigo replied as he attacked him on and on. He was very tempted to use Getsuga Tensho on him but decided to test out his abilities first.

"Heh, you're quite a good fighter, Ichigo Kurosaki, I haven't expected less. Still I guess you will meet your end at my hands!" Bazz-B raised his hand and pointed one finger at Ichigo.

"**Burner Finger 1!"**

A narrow beam of fire went out of his finger and Ichigo was about to dodge with his Zanpakuto although he knew that it will get through his Zanpakuto. A weird feeling in his guts made him then grab the hilt of Kyuketsuki no Yurei and drew the katana to dodge. He knew the Zanpakuto was able to cut through everything so it should also be able to dodge everything and so it happened, the fire beam got repelled on the dark blade.

"Huh, you have got three blades? Isn't that a bit unfair for fighting?" Bazz-B asked with his eyes squinted as Ichigo sheathed Shizuka's katana.

"The katana's not mine." Ichigo replied and decided to test out his new Getsuga Tensho on him and raised both blades, the short and long one, and collected his spiritual pressure in them.

"**Getsuga Tensho!"**

Ichigo fired the light blue spiritual power at Bazz-B who raised his hand and Ichigo could see how he tried to absorb the reishi out of the attack, however he wasn't fast enough and the attack hit his arm, nearly cutting it off.

"Not bad. I guess that still isn't your Bankai, so it's weak for you. I should then go out fully, too!" Bazz-B raised two of his hands and Ichigo could see flames on his fingertips and felt something rushing through his body. This was none of the two Zangetsu, he knew that this was Kyuketsuki no Yurei who seemingly wanted to fight, too. He wondered why he could feel the feelings of Shizuka's Zanpakuto until he remembered how Kyuketsuki no Yurei said they were connected by souls.

"**Burner Finger 2!"**

Bazz-B shoot the fire at Ichigo which exploded and Ichigo automatically closed his eyes when it exploded but didn't felt anything. When he opened his eyes he saw a black dusty substance around him which seemed to have saved him from the explosion. The substance then disappeared into nothing.

"What was that?" Bazz-B asked as the dusty substance disappeared totally and he stared at Ichigo who also was surprised about this, not knowing where it came from.

"The hell I know." Ichigo replied and then leapt at Bazz-B who again created a weapon made of reishi to dodge but this time somehow the weapon hadn't manifested clearly as Ichigo cut through with the shorter Zangetsu and cut through his Bazz-B's face and the blood splashed out as Ichigo then went some steps back.

"What was that?" Bazz-B asked and touched the wound on his face while glaring at Ichigo who also wondered why Bazz-B couldn't manifest his weapon.

"Tsk, like it seems you're a tough one. Let's then go on further." Bazz-B said and raised a normal weapon. **"Quincy: Vollständig!"**

Ichigo could feel that he wasn't the only one who had released the Quincy: Vollständig, he could see the pentagrams of several SternRitter in the air and hissed. He knew since his fight with Quilge Opie that it was the strongest form they could take on and so prepared to be in a tough fight until he noticed something. Just like the weapon before his Quincy: Vollständig was flickering as it seemed not to being able to be manifested clearly.

Bazz-B didn't seemed to see this as he attacked Ichigo who dodged his attacks and then felt a connection and wondered what it was until he remembered that he felt the same when Aizen left Hueco Mundo back then, it seemed to be Tenteikura. It was Yui's voice he heard through it.

"_To everyone who's currently fighting against a Quincy who had used Quincy: Vollständig! The reishi particles around them were decreased so neither their weapons nor their attacks nor their forms can manifest or function right! This is the right chance to attack them with full might, they're vulnerable now!"_

Hearing this Ichigo grinned as he raised his two Zangetsus.

"**Bankai!"** He shouted.*

For a short time Ichigo got engulfed by his blue reiatsu and appeared again with his usual cloak he also got when he had still the other Zangetsu. But this time he also had the longer hair and the chain around his right arm.

"So that's your Bankai, huh?" Bazz-B said. "Doesn't look very strong."

"Oh yeah? Wanna try it out?" Ichigo asked and then pounced at him.

"It seems like they had somehow managed to decrease the amount of reishi in the atmosphere around the SternRitter." Ishida said who stood next to Yhwach's throne who was looking out at the battles of his subordinates against the shinigami which seemed to be more and more difficult for the SternRitter. "What do you think, Your Majesty."

"I guess they had something up in their sleeve." Yhwach said and then looked around to Shizuka who stood there with an expressionless face and emotionless eyes and whose thoughts were wandering off to Ichigo. "But maybe you know who is capable to do this, Henker?"

"I do. A member of the Royal Family should be able to do something like that."

"Who do you think was it, Your Majesty?" Ishida asked while Yhwach seemed to be lost in thought. Shizuka however wasn't paying much attention to their animated conversation, she was with her thoughts by Ichigo.

When he kissed her through the cell bars some memories flooded her head; Ichigo in a school uniform who looked at her, Ichigo in trunks who was sitting next to her in sand and drunk some water and then again Ichigo, embarrassed holding her hand while walking through a festival. She had noticed that it were very pleasant memories, she loved them and she wanted to see more. She couldn't remember much, when she tries her head starts to pain and she sees everything blurry. The second time Ichigo kissed her she again remembered more; she saw Ichigo beating some guys and looking worried at her, how she shared a bento with him, and how he hugged her when she had birthday and then got all embarrassed until his face turned red because of this. Shizuka noticed it were always pleasant memories she had of Ichigo, a sign she truly was happy with him but couldn't understand why she felt glad and sad at the same time when he apologized for not watching out how she was feeling when he protected the other girls.

"I think I know who it might be." Yhwach said. "Although I didn't knew she was a member of the Royal Family; Yui Nakamura. The wife of Sosuke Aizen."

"Aizen had a wife?" Ishida asked surprised as she looked at Yhwach as he nodded and looked around to Shizuka. "And a daughter. So it might explain why she has such powers."

Ishida looked up to Shizuka who still wasn't paying attention to them and his eyes widen in surprise and shock.

"I can't believe it."

"It's surely hard to do so, but it's the truth. That's why she's having such a great power stored inside of her. Although I wonder who had put that seal there."

While the two Quincies kept on watching the fights and Shizuka still stood there lost in thoughts.

Yhwach was thinking over the idea to kill Yui in order to let the reishi flow naturally so the SternRitter will win but then he suddenly stopped hearing and wondered what it was until a male voice appeared in his head.

_"Do you really think you can wipe off the entire shinigami race? You once tried and failed and I won't allow you to do this again. Like you see, your SternRitter are getting weak because there's barely reishi around them. The shinigami are here to keep balance between the realms, you are destroying this balance. I know there was once a Quincy who wanted to cooperate with the shinigami. I liked that idea, this is one of the options - the other one would be the extermination of the Quincy race. I wouldn't hesitate to order to destroy you all. You may have your signature skill but so do I and my family, this was the one you wanted from my niece. However, because of my seal you won't be able to open that seal. __Remember, you have got two options, Yhwach."_

Yhwach wondered whose voice it had been, until now no one has been able to do this and also how that person knew about all this.

Shizuka next to him however winced as she had a feeling someone was entering her body and shivered as she felt it. It was just like someone was trying to take something from her and she froze on the spot.

"Henker." Yhwach said and Shizuka looked over to him. She was trying to fight against it but couldn't do anything and so she fell to her knees.

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"We need to get rid of Yui Nakamura, her ability is disturbing us. Go and kill her." Yhwach said and Shizuka again wanted to fight against her but her mouth and body moved on it's own.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Then she went off and left the building, following the reiatsu of her mother. She didn't wanted to kill her mother; she was really desperate, trying to resist the control of Yhwach.

Desperately Shizuka tried to get out of the control of Yhwach, it nearly drove her mad she couldn't do anything. Her body was fully controlled by Yhwach who also seemed to have his fun in doing so. Shizuka at least was happy he wasn't able to release her special power. She didn't knew what kind of power it was but was really happy her uncle had sealed her powers with a strong seal so it wouldn't break out.

Shizuka noticed how she reached the building which was once the Shinigami Develop and Research Department and was fighting more than before against the control of the Quincy king but it was truly difficult.

She stepped on the top of the stairs and felt the reiatsu of Kisuke and Yui close by. She hoped that Kisuke at least would be able to save her; she could remember her adoptive father because of Ichigo who gave her back some memories which were stolen by Yhwach so she would be a good war machine against the shinigami. However it seemed he didn't really thought to the end and made her more immune against Ichigo. She noticed a sharp feeling in her chest, she knew it was longing to see him.

She remembered how Ichigo had promised to come and get her but if it will go on like this then she might now being able to be saved. Shizuka ran through the corridors and finally found the two.

Yui turned around to Shizuka once she felt the reiatsu and her purple eyes grew bigger.

"Shizuka?" She asked surprised and was about to approach her when Kisuke grabbed Yui's arm to stop her.

"Wait, she's still under Yhwach's control." He said. Just like it was a keyword Shizuka dashed towards them and was about to attack as Kisuke raised his sword.

"**Chikasumi no Tate."**

A red shield appeared on the end of his Zanpakuto and blocked Shizuka's attack. Shizuka hissed automatically as she saw Kisuke and then used Shunpo to get behind them as she again attacked Yui. The woman was able to raise her arms to dodge but Shizuka still kicked her against the wall and she made a painful expression. Shizuka ran over to her and was about to attack her again but Yui rolled to the side and Shizuka's punch destroyed the wall. Shizuka nearly stumbled outside but returned to the room where Kisuke stood before Yui to protect her, after all Yui was still hurt from then, when Shizuka first fought against her.

"What to do, Urahara-san?" Yui asked as Shizuka went back and was about to attack them again while still trying to get out of the control.

"I was trying to make a medicine against it. I could finish it but you have to fight against her for some time." He said and Yui behind him nodded.

"Alright, I'll do this." She said and then started to go in a defensive posture while Shizuka attacked her and then turned around and kicked her but Yui dodged the attack. Shizuka noticed she was only dodging her attacks and not attacking her although it might be better because then she might not be able to move anymore.

"Attack her, too, Nakamura-san! It will be easier to give her the medicine if she's hurt." She heard Kisuke saying.

"Alright!" Yui called and then started to attack Shizuka, too, who then started to kick Yui and somehow she managed to kick her mother out of the hole in the wall and while Yui fell down Shizuka jumped after her head-first and attacked her again while being mid-air. Shizuka tried to hit Yui's face but the woman put her arm around her and stopped her from doing that. When Shizuka tried to kick her Yui pulled her own leg around her and turned around until she slammed her foot in Shizuka's neck and let her fly faster towards the ground. Shizuka turned around until she could land safely on one of the rooftops and slid backwards to the edge.

"Shizuka, try to snap out of it!" Yui shouted as they continued fighting on the rooftops and Shizuka noticed the reiatsu of shinigami - some familiar among them – around them together with the one of the SternRitter who seemed to lose.

"Kill..." Shizuka tried to tell her that Yhwach wanted to see her dead but couldn't get a sentence out because of the control.

A very familiar reiatsu went closer and Shizuka noticed orange hair and looked around. There was Ichigo, fighting against one of the SternRitter, Bazz-B. She remembered how he told her not to kill more people. Seeing him Shizuka tried to resist fighting but her body still moved on it's own while fighting Yui.

Shizuka took a quick glance over to Ichigo who did the same and then Ichigo seemingly started to fight with all his might while Shizuka somehow managed to pull her punches and kicks.

Yui seemed to understood that Ichigo was the one who had at least ripped her a bit free of it and smiled as she was running over to him who was striking Bazz-B for the last time and the SternRitter fell to the ground, defeated.

"Ichigo-san!"

"Yui-san, are you alright?!" He shouted as he looked around and she nodded.

"Could you stop her for a moment, I have to go an check on Urahara-san!" She shouted as Shizuka was about to attack her but then two strong arms gripped her from behind and pressed her against a hart chest.

"Yeah." She heard from behind and noticed it was Ichigo while she struggled to get free but Ichigo's grip didn't let her get away.

"Urahara-san is making a medicine to get her out of the control of Yhwach." Yui said as she then turned around and get away while Shizuka tried to follow her but Ichigo kept her in place.

"No, stay. Try to fight against it." He said as she growled. Ichigo somehow dragged her down from the rooftop and Shizuka noticed how she reluctantly let him do it and looked around to him.

"You haven't killed anyone, have you?" He asked as he looked down to her.

"...No." She got out and looked up to him.

"Good." Ichigo said as he still didn't dared to let her go. "I think we should follow Yui-san."

He scooped her up in his arms, still gripping her tightly so she wouldn't get away.

Together with Shizuka in his arms he returned to the 12th Division barracks while Shizuka still struggled.

As soon as they reached the barracks Shizuka noticed that Kisuke and Yui were there and looked at something in Kisuke's hand.

"Urahara-san, there you are!" He shouted and Kisuke looked around to them.

"Oh, you two came here." Yui said as she saw Ichigo with her daughter.

"Yeah." He said while Kisuke went closer to them. Shizuka still was struggling as she saw Yui and tried to attack her. Kisuke showed her a black pill and Shizuka wondered what it was, probably the medicine against the brainwash. Still, Shizuka refused to take it in as although it was moreover her body which done that. She had no problem against getting free of Yhwach's control.

"Give me the pill." Ichigo said and Kisuke seemingly knew what he wanted to do as he gave Ichigo the pill and then turned his back to them. Ichigo took the pill for a moment in his mouth and then lean forward to press his lips against Shizuka who opened her mouth out of surprise. Ichigo then let the pill fall in her mouth and Shizuka swallowed it.

For a moment she didn't felt anywhere but then she saw everything blurry and felt her head spinning and could somehow see how Kisuke approached.

"**Tenma Otoshi."** He said and Shizuka saw a light for a moment through her blurry vision and then blacked out.

*I don't know if Ichigo got a new Bankai after getting the new Zangetsus but I suppose it's still somehow like hos old one. Currently, while I'm writing this fanfiction, it's unknown. I'll update it as soon as it's out!


	9. God's demise

**Chapter IX**

**- God's demise -**

During the time she slept Shizuka noticed something was odd. Her body felt incredibly heavy and she saw pieces of memories flooding through her head. She saw her mother and father during these memories, Aizen had his original appearance, his hair was falling into his face and he was wearing his glasses. He also wasn't wearing a Captain's haori but a lieutenant badge. Her mother just looked like usual and Shizuka noticed that in the last memory she had together with her father he acted quite weird. Still, she was surprised how much she once loved her parents and felt bad for not really doing so anymore.

However, after all the memories had flooded her mind again she then found herself in her Inner World; the whole place was pitch black and had a weird pressure which was weighting the soul. Shizuka knew that this place was usually a normal place which only had been darkened; but it also could be a grotesque place because sometimes she had the feeling she was stepping on something similar to bones, she could never tell because she never had saw it when it was lighten up. In front of her Kyuketsuki no Yurei appeared in front of her with a calm expression.

"Welcome back here." She said. "You've been away for quite some time."

"Yes, I'm sorry."

"Tell me, Shizuka. What have you feared back then to not attack Yhwach at full power?"

"Huh?"

"Don't 'huch' me! Tell me what have you been afraid of!"

"Because Yamamoto-san was killed so easily and..."

"False!" Kyuketsuki no Yurei turned the axe in her hands around and hit Shizuka with the end of it on the head.

"Ouch, hey!"

"What have you been afraid of?!" Kyuketsuki no Yurei demanded. "As soon as you won't be able to notice this you'll never be able to release your true powers!"

Shizuka looked surprised at her Zanpakuto spirit who was looking calmly and confidential at her. Slowly she came to realization what Kyuketsuki no Yurei meant and nodded. She knew what she had been afraid of back then to not attack him at full power.

"I guess I have been afraid of my own powers." She said.

"That's right! Finally you've realized it! You haven't been weak or anything like that, only afraid of your powers, especially since you feared your special power bursting out and getting out of control. Now, are still afraid of them?"

Shizuka went quiet for a moment, she was thinking over that special power inside of her. She wasn't scared of it anymore; somehow that part disappeared. She moreover wanted to use that power against the Quincy to bring the war finally to an end.

"I'm not afraid. I only want to use that power to protect Soul Society and end the war." Shizuka replied and Kyuketsuki no Yurei chuckled.

"I know. Now go deep inside you and see what you see there." She said and  
Shizuka first wondered what she meant and concentrated as she listened to her weapon and soon the whole place changed into a white nothing and noticed herself standing in front of her.

"What, surprised?" Her clone asked. "Do you notice something?"

"What are you?"

"What do you think? Her clone replied and pressed her fists against her hips. "I'll give you a hint; every power has got a manifestation, it may look human or other. But I have another problem."

The clone pulled the neckline of the shihakusho aside and showed a sign on her left breast; even without asking Shizuka knew it was the sign of a seal.

"Are you my... special power manifestation?" Shizuka asked and her doppelganger grinned.

"Finally you got it. Do you know how long I have been here, not being able to get into a conversation with you." The Power manifestation said. "Because of your ignorance of not knowing your origin you have suppressed me."

"I'm sorry."

"No worries. Her clone replied and shrugged. "I only appeared because of your desire to save and protect Soul Society and your friends."

She went closer to Shizuka and placed her hand on the place where the clone has it's seal sign.

"Your power, do you want to know what kind of power it is? It is Mental and physical power augmentation. You can make smart people dumb and the other way 'round, you also can make physically weak people strong and other way 'round. It goes on and on like that." The power manifestation said. "Although I can't release all the power, the sudden augmentation of your reiatsu would give you a very high fever and then kill you. Just like it would have happened if the Soul King wouldn't have sealed the powers while you have been in your mother's womb. Yui also wouldn't have survived giving birth."

"I see." Shizuka said while her power manifestation smiled.

"I'll give you much enough so you will be able to control it without it getting out of control. Now, I should give you a rest, after all you had a difficult time while being under control of Yhwach."

The power manifestation started to get blurry and then everything around Shizuka turned black again. She wondered if she really could use her power now, after all it were sealed powers deep inside of her.

Shizuka slowly then noticed how she slowly was waking up as she could feel laying on a bed and noticed she came to her senses. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked right at a ceiling.

Shizuka sat up and was waiting for a moment, she wondered if she was still under the control of Yhwach but couldn't feel anything. She was able to move her body on her own and also had no weird thoughts. Still, the fact she got her full memories back made her confused as she was wondering over the love she had towards her father back then. She stroked her hair back and looked around. She could feel Kisuke's reiatsu close and wondered where he was.

Shizuka also noticed she was in a bed and wondered what it does here, this place looked like the Shinigami Research and Develop Department.

She also noticed that she was wearing a plain white yukata instead of the SternRitter garb when she stood up and looked around. Next to the bed she found her katana and grabbed it.

"Who had carried you here?" She muttered and then heard steps and looked around but it was only Kisuke who got a relieved expression upon seeing her.

"Good thing you're awake and alright." He said and reached out his hand to pat her. He was a bit hesitant as it seems but since Shizuka wasn't intending to attack him.

"Yeah, don't worry, I won't attack you." She said with a little smile. She still felt dizzy, probably an aftereffect of the pill he made. Still, it seemed to have helped against the brainwash.

"Thanks for saving me." She said with a smile and went to Kisuke and hugged him, feeling glad. Kisuke only chuckled and patted her back.

"Yes, it's good to see you being well." Kisuke said with a relieved smile. "How do you feel?"

"A little bit dizzy maybe but all in all I feel great." She replied and Kisuke looked more relieved.

"That's good, but still take it. In case you'll feel controlled again." Kisuke said and Shizuka took the dark pill.

"Alright. But where are the others, I mean Yui and Ichigo?"

"Nakamura-san's injuries still are treated and Kurosaki-san dashed off into fights again." Kisuke replied.

"I should join, too. After all, they plan to conquer the world in nine days." Shizuka said.

"Are you really sure? I don't think you're stable." Kisuke said but Shizuka shook her head.

"No. It's alright." She said. "I've got your special medicine after all. But I need a shihakusho. I can't fight in a yukata."

"I can get you one." Kisuke said but still looked worried at her while he turned around and went off for a moment while Shizuka looked down on her Zanpakuto. She was happy Kyuketsuki no Yurei made her realize her fear and the manifestation of her powers helped her to gain a little control over them. Shizuka was tempted to try it out but held it back.

Kisuke then returned with an usual shihakusho, not the one Shizuka had wear before but it was still better than nothing.

"Here you go." He said and handed her the shihakusho. Shizuka quickly hid behind a pillar to change into the shihakusho. She put her Zanpakuto into the obi and took on the tabi and the waraji and then returned to Kisuke.

"Better?" Kisuke asked and Shizuka nodded.

"Yes." She replied. "But what are you gonna do? Are you staying here?"

"Yes, I think so. I'll provide support from here and try to rebuilt the reishi out of which Seireitei had been consisting. Nakamura-san's power is the most helpful thing now." He replied while hiding his face behind his fan, only his gray eyes looked over the fan.

"I see. Take care then, I'll head out." Shizuka said and was about to leave but Kisuke grabbed her arm.

"Wait." He said and smiled. "Don't try to act without thinking, alright? Try to stay close to others so you won't get captured again."

Shizuka could hear the worry in his voice and she smiled hearing this.

"I will. Don't worry, this won't happen anymore." She said as Kisuke then let go of her arm and she went outside, with more enthusiasm than before. Shizuka wanted to see Ichigo, the longing drove her mad. She followed Ichigo's reiatsu which seemed to be stronger than before and found it close to her friends's reiatsu. She also felt some minor Vandenreich soldier's reiatsu and decided to attack them; she was still angry they made her fight against her friends.

She used Shunpo to get to her friends and noticed Rukia, Renji, Toshiro and Rangiku standing there, close to Ichigo. She did let out a bit of her reiatsu so they will feel her coming closer; again she was hiding her reiatsu although she didn't needed to. It was an automatic reaction of her subconsciousness to hide her reiatsu.

Rukia and Renji were the first to look around as she walked up to them and they also seemed to be hesitant first.

"You're up again?" Rukia asked and Shizuka nodded.

"Yeah, I'm feeling alright now." She said as she walked closer to them. "What are you all doing here?"

"Having a little break. It just feels like the Vandenreich can reproduce their soldiers." Rangiku said and sighed. Shizuka felt Ichigo's gaze on her and looked around to him with a soft expression, thanks to him she got to get out of Yhwach's control. She did owe him something.

"Although I have to say Yhwach did got a successor." She said, remembering Ishida who had joined the Vandenreich. Now that she remembered it she got shocked by herself and understood why he did looked this horror-stricken at her.

"Who?" Renji said as Shizuka remembered Ishida appearing out of the blue in the Vandenreich.

"Uryu's the successor." She said. "He joined Vandenreich as a SternRitter."

Shizuka saw the shocked expression in Ichigo's face and understood that this was troubling him that one of his friends now got an enemy, he probably felt the same when facing Shizuka after she got brainwashed.

"I see, so we do have to beware of him." Renji said.

"Let's split up again, we have to get rid of them all before Yhwach would get too mighty." Toshiro said and disappeared together with Rangiku and Renji and Rukia quickly told Ichigo and Shizuka to take care before disappearing, too.

Shizuka knew this was the best chance to thank Ichigo for saving her and turned around to him when suddenly Ichigo embraced her and pressed her close to his chest.

"Huh?" Surprised Shizuka tried to take a look at Ichigo's face but the had sunk his head and buried his face in her hair so she couldn't see his face as he pressed her tighter to his chest, taking her breath away.

"Let me stay like this... for a moment." Ichigo said and Shizuka put her own arms around him as she hugged him. The closeness to him was what she was longing for and even through they were in the middle of a war she was happy to be close to him.

"I... have to thank you. Thanks to you I am myself again." She muttered into his shoulder and Ichigo stroke over her back.

"Don't worry about this. I'm your boyfriend, it's my duty." He said as he then loosened his grip only to briefly give her a kiss. "Let's end this war and then live at peace."

"Yeah, let's do this." Shizuka replied with a little smile and together they then dashed off, to defeat their enemies.

They fought their way through the whole place and cut down one minor soldier of the Vandenreich after another until Shizuka felt a reiatsu close by and froze on the spot, for a moment her body wasn't able to move and she knew exactly that this was the reiatsu of Vandenreich's leader, Yhwach.

"Who would have thought they'll be able to let you slip out of my control." She heard as she looked around and there was the man, walking up to her. She noticed her body was trembling, just as it didn't knew whom it should listen to. Quickly Shizuka took the pill Kisuke gave her and swallowed it. Through this her body relaxed a bit but her head started to spin a bit again although Shizuka tried to ignore this while facing Yhwach together with Ichigo.

"Today is the ninth day. Today I'm going to conquer this world with pathetic people." He said and raised his hand. "But unfortunately, I have to defeat you first since none of you two is willing to cooperate with me."

His reishi weapon, the Broadsword, appeared in his hand and he pointed the sword spike at Ichigo and Shizuka. Shizuka felt how this time she truly wasn't afraid of Yhwach anymore. This time she was also willing to use her Bankai against him, just like Kyuketsuki no Yurei told her in her mind.

Yhwach attacked Shizuka first but as she tried to raise her Zanpakuto to dodge his attack when suddenly Ichigo went between them and raised his two Zangetsus in order to dodge Yhwach's reishi broadsword.

Shizuka looked surprised at her boyfriend who was trying to fend Yhwach off so he will go back some steps.

"I promised I'll protect you this time. So don't worry." He said but Shizuka only furrowed her brows, for her it wasn't okay he'll risk his life for her although she wanted him to protect her.

"No, we'll fight together." Shizuka said as she grabbed the hilt of her Zanpakuto tighter and drew it.

Ichigo smirked hearing it and together they attacked Yhwach who dodged their attacks together although Yhwach dodged their attacks and attacked back but both dodged his sword, too. Shizuka remembered he still had Yamamoto's Bankai and also wondered if her mother's power had wear off, after all Yhwach was able to use the reishi particles around them to manifest his weapon.

"Watch out, he had stolen the former General Commander's Bankai." She informed Ichigo who nodded. Shizuka looked at the two Zangetsus in Ichigo's hands and immediately knew he had met Nimaiya, after all the Royal Guard is the one who has the Asauchi around him and also had admired Kyuketsuki no Yurei wen Shizuka had show him her katana for the first time because it had been born the day Shizuka was born.

Again they attacked Yhwach together and every time the king of the Quincy evaded their attack and looked with slightly surprise at Shizuka, probably surprised she had gotten free of his control. Shizuka, being a bit impatient, raised her Zanpakuto to release it's Shikai.

"**Kakusei, Kyuketsuki no Yurei."** She said and immediately her Zanpakuto changed, the blade seemed to made of the black, dusty substance which was the manifestation of the darkness and the protective bandage wrapped around her arm. She used Shunpo to appear behind Yhwach and make a surprise attack and swung her Zanpakuto.

"**Yami Senko!"**

She was about to slash him but Yhwach turned around together with his broadsword to dodge but the moment their blades clashed the dark spiritual power which went out of Shizuka's blade hit him and nearly knocked him down but Yhwach only stumbled some steps back.

"Your Majesty!" Haschwalth appeared out of nowhere and was about to attack Shizuka but Ichigo then jumped into the air and kicked him aside.

"It's alright, Haschwalth. Take care of Kurosaki Ichigo for now." Yhwach said and then turned to face Shizuka again who got ready to dodge Yhwach's attack while in the corner of her eyes she saw how Ichigo and Haschwalth were fighting intensively. Yhwach and Shizuka's blades clashed again and again, Yhwach looked like he had a difficult time just like Shizuka who still had problems to control her body fully to attack him.

"Not bad." Yhwach said. "I excepted you wouldn't be able to get free of my control. I am impressed by Kisuke Urahara's inventions."

"I know, he's a genius." Shizuka replied and attacked him again, with a stronger attack. Yhwach barely dodged the attack and got hurled from the rooftop while Shizuka followed him and attacked him on and on while falling.

Shizuka barely noticed that there was a sphere around the Vandenreich HQ and a light slowly went up; like it seems Kisuke and Yui were successful in rebuilding the reishi particles of the Seireitei so the Vandenreich slowly disappeared again.

Yhwach looked around in astonishment but he made a face like he wasn't amused by the happenings.

"Why do you look so surprised? The shinigami were always superior of the Quincy and it will stay like this." Shizuka said, she learned of the shinigami history from Kisuke who had told her what all had happened and so knew that thousand years ago Yhwach was suppressed by them, especially Yamamoto Shingekuni, but escaped before he would have been killed.

"You're surely a smart girl. Still, because of my special skill my powers had returned fully, only because you pathetic shinigami have killed the SternRitter and the Vandenreich soldiers, every one of them had a piece of my soul in them. Their knowledge returned to me and so I have become invincible." Yhwach said, swinging his broadsword. "I hate wars so I want to end this as quickly as possible."

"I have the same opinion." Shizuka said as she received an injury from him. "Still, you do hate wars and fighting, so why did you started one?" Shizuka asked as they went some steps away from each other.

"It's obvious, because it's useless to negotiate with you shinigami." He said and attacked her but Shizuka only raised her Zanpakuto above her head. "Although I'm surprised of the fact that I tried to give you a piece of my soul while you have been brainwashed but you have refused to take it."

"What." Shizuka said and remembered it, while she was unconscious back then she had the feeling of something invading her, a cold feeling in her whole body. She knew what had happened then, her mother had explained her that there was someone who is able to possess the bodies of every living being, regardless of gender. This was the same feeling when she received the order to take down Yui.

She remembered that her uncle in fact was able to posses other people's bodies and minds and also has to ability of Psionic Inundation. He can project harmful psionic volley, which may result in brain damage, memory loss, unconsciousness, vegetative state or even death. That's why he sleeps most of the day and does never come out of his chambers, Shizuka never saw him and even Yui told her she hadn't saw her brother since she was pregnant with Shizuka.

Although she wasn't sure if her uncle did saved her, she had more the feeling that her body automatically refused to take him in.

"I think my soul didn't wanted to have a piece of yours." Shizuka replied with a little grin as she attacked Yhwach again and again got tempted to try her own special powers out but it would be better to first disable the reishi particles around Yhwach. To which she has to reach her mother and tell her this.

"I'm surprised to see you being like this, you've shown fear when fighting me first." Yhwach said as their blades clashed.

"That's because I was stunned you were able to defeat Yamamoto this easily, but that may was because you have stolen his Bankai." Shizuka replied and suddenly Yhwach's face lit up, just like she told him something important.

"Well, I nearly forgot it. I still posses his Bankai so it wouldn't be bad to use it to end our fight quickly." He raised his arm and smirked down at her.

"**Bankai. Zanka no Tachi."**

While he said that his light blue broadsword turned to fire red and flames appeared around them and encompassed them.

"I'm surprised Ryujin Jakka – even if it is only a part of it – is so willingly cooperating with you." Shizuka said as she raised her Zanpakuto horizontally. "Still, you're not the only one being able to use Bankai here."

Slowly she did let go of Kyuketsuki no Yurei and let it fall to the ground.

"Bankai." She said as the dark substance emitted from the blade of her Zanpakuto and enveloped the whole place around them and went further. **"Shikkonin Kyuketsuki no Yurei."**

The darkness grew bigger until the whole rebuild Seireitei had been enveloped by the darkness and out of nowhere large dark crosses appeared in a circle around Yhwach and Shizuka whose appearance had changed. She still had the hakama on but above it was the plain and tattered yukata of Kyuketsuki no Yurei and she also had the dark red sash around her waist and as she raised her hand the dark substance was collecting in her hand and slowly the substance changed into the Labrys Kyuketsuki no Yurei was usually holding.

The flames of Ryujin Jakka's Bankai had also changed, the flames had now a dark gray color with black outlines.

"Impressive." Yhwach said as he saw Shizuka's Bankai.

"I think so, too." She replied, putting the axe against her shoulder. "Still, it's a very strong Bankai. Now I can control the darkness which consumes everything."

She made a movement with her hand and something which looked like arms reached out from the darkness to Yhwach who then used his still burning broadsword to cut them off but the arms returned to their initial appearance.

"That's very impressive. I know your powers already but I have never expected you are able to do something like that."

"I have to say, I was stunned by my own Bankai in the beginning, too, but it's quite helpful." Shizuka said. "But still, I am surprised you could feel my hidden power although it's sealed deep inside of me, by a seal made by the Soul King."

"I am a god, this is obvious I can do something like that." Yhwach said and Shizuka noticed he sounded quite arrogant, calling himself a god.

"Well, well. Let's stop this conversation to end this fight." He raised his arm and made a brief move with his arm.

"**Zanka no Tachi, North: Tenchi Kajin."**

He slashed with his sword and Shizuka saw that it was a slash with concentrated fire and heat and she raised her axe into a defensive posture. The impact let her slide back and saw that it was slowly melting in her hands. Surprised Shizuka let go of her axe as it disappeared but made a new out of the dark substance.

"Nice try." She said while Yhwach went on and touched the ground with the tip of his broadsword.

"**Zanka no Tachi, South: Jumanokushi Daisojin."**

From a rupture in the ground skeletons emerged and slowly changed their appearances into those of shinigami which surprised Shizuka. She remembered the technique from back then, when she was watching the fight of Yamamoto and that SternRitter who had imposed as Yhwach.

As the corpses slowly approached her she made a gesture towards them.

"**Kurayami no Ketsugo!"**

Out of the darkness around them emerged something which looked like ropes and wrapped themselves around the corpses, pinning them to the ground.

"**Kurai Akuma no Musabori." **

Something started to move in the darkness underneath them and again the arms appeared and were wrapped around all the corpses and with a single movement they disappeared in the darkness, leaving only flames behind.

"I think I told you, darkness can consume everything." Shizuka said as she smiled while looking at him. She was looking around, wondering for a moment how the others were doing and could feel Ichigo's reiatsu close by, knowing he was heading here. That's why she hesitated to go all out, to let Ichigo take part, too, after all they agreed to fight together against the king of the Quincies.

So she went to attack him with her axe and although Yhwach was using the past Captain Commander's Bankai, he seemingly wasn't as good in controlling it as Yamamoto was. The flames were destroying Shizuka's axe but she could make a new one made out of the manifestation of the darkness so it was very easy for her to fight against him. She also had the feeling that he would use his own Quincy: Vollständig soon so she also didn't hesitated to attack him with heavy strikes, trying to give him some injuries.

Feeling Ichigo's reiatsu being closer she then went some steps back and as Yhwach was about to attack her with the flames of Zanka no Tachi suddenly Ichigo appeared in the air above Yhwach, holding his both Zangetsus above his own head and was about to attack Yhwach.

"**Getsuga Tensho!"**

He slashed through the air and a blast of concentrated spiritual power went out of his two Zangetsus, surprising Yhwach who barely dodged it and received an injury on his chest from Ichigo who then landed next to Shizuka, looking hesitantly down, just as if he was expecting to fall through.

"So you did this." Ichigo said surprised as he looked at Shizuka who only flashed him a quick smile.

"I had to use my Bankai against him. Try not to get close to him, he can produce dangerous flames." Shizuka said to warn him as Yhwach then recovered from the shock that he actually had been injured.

"I see. Like this, I won't be able to go on. Let's then go one level further." Yhwach said and the broadsword in his hand returned from red to light blue.

"**Quincy: Vollständig." **

As the reishi particles around him started to transform him into his Quincy: Vollständig when suddenly they disappeared into something which reminded Shizuka of thin air.

"What?"

"I am deeply sorry, but I needed to manipulate the reishi particles around you." Yui appeared suddenly behind Yhwach with a stern expression. "I think my brother had told you, you only have got two options, either you'll stop right now and withdraw forever or you'll meet your demise."

Yui slowly made her way over to Shizuka and Ichigo who both had gripped their weapons tightly.

Shizuka knew that right now she could use the mightiest technique of her Bankai while Ichigo also prepared to use his own technique.

"That's nonsense. I'm a god, I can't be defeated!" He shouted while Yui only smiled.

"You see, there's nothing something like a god, either way my brother would also call himself one. You only are a king with a special power, just like the Soul King." She said. "You're just like your own subordinates, an usual man with unusual powers."

She looked over to Shizuka and Ichigo who both nodded and Shizuka let Ichigo attack Yhwach with several Getsuga Tensho while she concentrated herself as she tried to reach the manifestation of her special powers, her clone, inside of her.

She noticed how Yhwach got engulfed in her own golden colored reiatsu and he looked surprised around. Shizuka imagined Yhwach becoming a physically weak person, not being able to dodge attacks.

"**Decrease."**

Ichigo then attacked Yhwach again and while the latter tried to dodge instead Shizuka heard a snapping sound and Yhwach made a painful expression.

"What?!"

"I did use the powers you wished to have." Shizuka said with a satisfied smile. "I did decrease your physical abilities. You won't be able to dodge any attacks now, you are too weak to do this."

Yhwach looked quite surprise while Ichigo attacked Yhwach again and again and the man tried to dodge his attacks but failed to do so, only his bones broke. Ichigo then caught Shizuka's eyes and she made a move with her head and he returned next to her.

"Now, it's time to end this." Shizuka said and raised the Labrys in her hand.

"**Kurayami no Jisshi Ketai: Girochin."**

The crosses which had made a circle around them went out of the ground and flew over Yhwach who looked up in surprise while they rotated above him and then slammed into his body to held him down on the ground.

Yhwach seemed to be very shocked about this as on the top of the crosses the dark substance was collecting and created something which looked like a swirl and out of the swirl appeared Shizuka's golden-colored concentrated spiritual power and smashed down on Yhwach. The impact nearly knocked her off her feet as she got exhausted from using this technique because it was draining a massive amount of reiatsu. Ichigo then caught her in his arms as her Bankai disappeared because she had a bit of reiatsu left and before she passed out Shizuka saw Yhwach laying there, bloody, but still breathing as he robbed towards them.


	10. Epilogue: Proposal

**Chapter X**

**- Epilogue: Proposal -**

Three weeks had passed since ever Yhwach got defeated by Ichigo and Shizuka with the help of Yui. After Shizuka had lost consciousness the Soul King had appeared together with two of the Royal Guards and had sealed his soul deep away so Yhwach wouldn't be reborn.

The Soul Society had return to it's former glory and Seireitei also returned to it's daily routine although they had to get used to Shunsui Kyoraku being the new Captain Commander.

The Vandenreich disappeared together with its inhabitants and also Yhwach successor returned to the Human World although he got quite distant to his friends.

The new Captain Commander also allowed Shizuka and Ichigo to return to the Human World with the compromise that they will hide a part of their reiatsu.

"Let's go over there." Ichigo said and led Shizuka who had her arm linked with his over to Todai-ji. The couple went on a weekend trip to Nara which surprised Shizuka. Ichigo had appeared today in the Urahara Shop and told her to come on a weekend trip together with him although he refused to tell her where they were traveling with the bullet train.

Ichigo also wanted her to have some vacation with him after the commotion since Shizuka was recovering for the last three weeks from the brainwash and also her strongest Bankai technique.

Still, it surprised Shizuka it was Nara where Ichigo brought her, she doesn't mind to be here, after all she wanted to visit Nara because she wanted to see all these ancient temples.

"Why did you actually brought me here?" She asked as they reached the Nadaimon and found some deers there.

"Do you remember when we talked about temples when we have visited Kozan-ji in Kyoto? You told me you wanted to visit Todai-ji so I thought we'll make a weekend trip like back then." Ichigo said as he lead Shizuka through the Nadaimon from where she could see the temple already.

"Oh, right." Shizuka faintly remembered that conversation when they had visited the temple in the woods in Kyoto.

"See? Now come, let's see that old Buddha statue." Ichigo said and tugged on Shizuka's hand as they entered the temple where also other tourists were.

They looked at the ancient carvings and statues for some time before they decided to return to the inn. On their way there they bought some regional sweets in a sweets shop and Shizuka surprisingly saw a little Buddha made out of chocolate.

Finally they reached the inn and Ichigo went over to the reception to get the key to their room. Shizuka noticed it was an old-fashioned but expensive inn and she wondered who had arranged this. After all Isshin and Kisuke made some indications about having an unforgettable time here.

"Ah, yes, Ichigo and Shizuka Kurosaki." She heard the receptionist saying as she looked at the pictures and looked surprised around while she noticed Ichigo getting red ears.

"Uh... yeah." He said and looked embarrassed while he took the keys and made a sign with his head to Shizuka to follow him.

"Did she assumed we're newlyweds?" She wondered while Ichigo still had red ears and looked down on the keys.

"I think it was a joke of my old man." He said as they went down the corridor to their room.

"So Isshin-san arranged this?" She asked surprised as she looked up to him as Ichigo wiped through his orange hair. While they had been walking through the streets of Nara some people were shooting bewildered glances at him because of his hair and Ichigo got annoyed by this.

"Yeah, he said it will be one of the best times of our lives so we should have at least something fancy." He said as they reached their room and he opened the door and slid it aside. He let Shizuka in first and followed her then.

It was quite a fancy room, with warm colors and futons made out of expensive fabric and also had a big TV and a door which led outside to the garden. Shizuka walked over to the shoji door and slid it aside. Just like the whole inn also the garden was quite fancy, she could see greenery everywhere.

"Looks nice." She said while she looked around to Ichigo and he nodded as he walked up to her.

"Yeah, dad did really made a great arrangement." He said as he put his arms around her and pressed her closer until her back touched his chest.

Shizuka felt how Ichigo enjoyed being close to her and she remembered what all had happened while she was brainwashed. She hadn't apologized for what she had done while she was brainwashed.

"Ichigo..." She said as she leaned her head against his chest and looked up to him. "I still haven't said sorry for making problems back then, when I was brainwashed." She said while Ichigo looked surprised down at her.

"Are you kidding me? It's not your fault something like that had happened." He said and raised his hand and pinched her cheek.

"Ouch!" Shizuka raised her hand and pulled his away. "But I have let myself get captured because I was careless."

"Shut up, it wasn't your fault." Ichigo again said and this time pinched her other cheek. Shizuka squealed and turned around while she tried to get his hands off her cheeks.

"Let my cheeks go!" She shouted and pouted as she rubbed her red cheeks, Ichigo only chuckled.

"Sorry." He said and patted her head. He put one arm around her and pulled her closer to a kiss when suddenly someone knocked on the door.

"Kurosaki-san, would you have dinner?" The voice of a woman echoed and with a little sigh Ichigo let go of Shizuka and went over to the door and opened it.

"Yes, please." He said and revealed there was a woman standing there, probably one of the staff of this inn. Shizuka noticed the woman staring at Ichigo with admiration and immediately got a dislike towards her and went over to him to make sure she wouldn't try to talk too much to him. As soon as Shizuka appeared next to Ichigo and cling to his arm the woman nodded without saying more and then walked off.

Ichigo only looked over to Shizuka who still clung to his arm and grinned.

"Y'know, you don't need to be jealous."

"Be quiet." She said, her cheeks slightly red. Ichigo only continued chuckling as two women appeared and brought the food. Shizuka noticed they were looking at Ichigo and giggled and got a worse mood.

"If you need anything, then you have only to call Kurosaki-san." The one woman said before they left and Shizuka growled. Ichigo only stroked over her head and gave her a quick kiss on her head.

"Be happy I've only eyes for you." He said while he lead her to the table where the food was prepared and Shizuka blushed slightly, hearing his honest statement.

"Yes, yes." She replied and walked up to the table and sat down. The food looked really great but she noticed how she first inspected it before she anything from it to her mouth.

"Do you really think it's poisoned?" Ichigo asked as he saw her hesitantly eating the food.

"Could be." Shizuka said while eating but found the food really good. Ichigo only smiled and shook his head as they then continued to eat in silence.

"By the way, I have got a question." Ichigo said.

"Go ahead." Shizuka replied as she looked surprised up to her boyfriend, wondering what he wanted to ask.

"Why haven't you ever told me we met before? After meeting you I have wondered the whole time over why you looked so familiar." Ichigo said and apparently meant the time when Shizuka had been visiting Masaki and Isshin while Ichigo had been a toddler.

"Wouldn't it be kind of unbelievable when I would have told you I took care of you while you have been a baby?" She asked.

"I would be. I probably would have wonder how old you were." Ichigo said. "That's another point; why haven't you told me the truth about you?"

"Well, I was feeling kinda weird, being much more older than my own boyfriend although I look young. If you also mean that Aizen is my father; I had no memory of it until recently. I got to know it from Aizen himself when he got sealed by Kisuke." Shizuka explained. "I also couldn't got used to the thought of him being my father, I guess I was disappointed because he was a villain."

"Got used to it?"

"Yeah, after I've got cured of the brainwash also my memory of the time before I woke up in the Human World returned. I can believe he was so kind to me and my mother."

"You're his family, so that's obvious." Ichigo replied as Shizuka started to summon the memory of Aizen with a soft and affectionate smile, his arms wide open to catch her.

"Hey, speaking of family, I have something to tell you." Ichigo suddenly said and grabbed her hand which laid on the table and Shizuka looked surprised up to him.

"What is it?"

"Well, soon I'll graduate from High School and plan on to go to College and move out of my family's house. Wanna then come and live with me?" He asked and Shizuka looked irritated at him, it was quite surprising to hear from him what he wanted to do but then a soft smile appeared on her lips.

"Of course." She said, squeezing his hand. "Then I will be able to spend more time with you."

Ichigo smiled hearing her saying this but suddenly his expression grew serious.

"I guess I have to make something clear with that." He said and suddenly his ears grew red. "With living together I also mean... to get married."

Shizuka winced hearing this and she nearly spilled out the tea she was drinking and put quickly her fist against her lips to keep her mouth closed while her purple eyes nearly popped out.

"D... did you just said... _marry_?" She asked while her face flushed as she swallowed her tea slowly.

"Yes." Ichigo said and started to search something in his jeans pockets. He then took it out and put it on Shizuka's right ring finger. It was a silver ring with a single diamond on it. Shizuka stared for a moment on it and noticed tears brimming in her eyes and rolling down her cheeks and she let out a little sob of happiness. She stood up from her place and went around the table to give Ichigo a bear hug which knocked him down on the ground but he smiled wide as he reached out to her and wiped the tears off her skin.

"You don't need to cry because of this." He said and then pulled himself with Shizuka in his arms up and kissed her. Shizuka couldn't stop crying tears of joy, she kissed her finance with passion as Ichigo's arms pulled her in a tighter embrace.

"So I guess this means _yes_?" He asked after their lips part and Shizuka nodded, wiping the tears away.

"I guess that was what Isshin-san and Kisuke meant with having a very good time here." She said. "You did told them?"

"Yeah, because I didn't knew how to do this. Dad gave me some advice and told me how he had proposed to Mom. Urahara-san also told me to make it simple and not too complicated." He said, sounding embarrassed. "Although Urahara-san looked quite unsatisfied with this."

"It's natural, he had me around for so long. If I will go away suddenly then he probably will feel lonely." Shizuka replied as she finally calmed down but couldn't took her eyes from the ring on her finger. Looking at it her heart started to beat faster.

"I guess so, but he'll have you around until I'll graduate. That's more than a half year." Ichigo said while Shizuka furrowed her brows.

"Y'know, there was something on my mind for a while. I think I'll start going to school again, too. Now, that everything returned to normal, I want to get some good education and live like a normal human." She told him and Ichigo smiled.

"That's good, so we'll be around each other more." He said and lean closer to her to give her a kiss but again one of the staff members knocked on the door and this time Ichigo growled.

"Yeah?" He stood up and opened the door where this time an elderly man stood.

"Kurosaki-san, if you want, then you can go take a bath in the Hot Springs with your wife. It's an open-air bath." He said and Ichigo looked around to Shizuka who blushed hearing the word _wife_ from another people, mostly because he did just proposed to her.

"Wanna take a bath?" Ichigo asked and she nodded. Shizuka hadn't visited Hot Springs in quite some time so she agreed on going to the onsen.

Together they left the room and went to the Hot Springs. Shizuka was the first to get there, out of nervousness she had took off her clothes faster and went into the hot water.

Shizuka even didn't knew why she was nervous, she just felt like back then, when she just got together with Ichigo. While waiting for her finance she looked at the ring she swore she wouldn't take it off until the wedding and imagining the wedding her face got red again and she looked up to the sky, filled with stars by now.

"There you are." She then heard Ichigo saying and he went into the water and walked up to her. He put his arms around her and pulled her against his chest as he sat down.

"You needed quite long." Shizuka said as she relaxed once being in his arms and Ichigo shrugged.

"Sorry for that, I guess I was a bit nervous." He said slightly embarrassed as he stroked through her long brown hair. Shizuka only chuckled.

"Just like me."

"Yeah." Ichigo said and put his chin on her head. "Hey, wanna go tomorrow to look at some dresses?"

"You're thinking about this so early?" Shizuka chuckled and looked up, seeing his ears getting red again.

"Stop teasing me, I can see you wanna do that." He replied and furrowed his brows to hide his embarrassment as he lean closer and kissed her.

"Yeah, alright. Let's do this then." Shizuka replied and then she gave him a long, passionate kiss which was the beginning of their night.

**Author's notes:**

Well, that was the story so far. Maybe I'll add something later on but I've currently not much time because of school work and learning for finals so I'll end the story like this now.

Hope you liked it and thank you for reading this FanFiction!


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